


You Like Robots, Right?

by Tsilky



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Cyborgs, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, Paranoia, Resurrection, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2020-05-19 11:02:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 149,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19355710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsilky/pseuds/Tsilky
Summary: Shepard's prodigal rise through the ranks of the Alliance Navy is nothing short of legendary. When she's made a candidate to be the first Human Spectre, how could she refuse?She's sent to the Alliance colony of Eden Prime on a secret mission to prove herself. Little does she know this one day would change her life forever.Long form story across the original Mass Effect trilogy with an eventual romance between FemShep & Tali.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated 26/6/2019

**Sunday, 2:30pm, 11 th of April 2162**

**Alliance Military Storage Facility, Vancouver**

 

Hannah Shepard shifted her weight between each foot, trying to unfreeze her joints. Being put on guard duty for a tiny storage depot had been the punishment they’d thought of. Disobeying orders wasn’t normally her first call, but her C.O. had been a complete idiot. His orders would’ve gotten the entire squad killed if she hadn’t intervened, and this was the thanks she got. The other members of the squad appreciated her efforts, but her commander had immediately reported her to Alliance brass the moment they’d gotten back to base.

But, punishing one of the most highly decorated N7 operatives was something almost all of them were uninclined to do. Luckily for her, Rear Admiral Hackett had vouched for her good character and previously impeccable service record, much to the chagrin of her C.O.

So, here she was, Hannah Shepard, N7 operative, guarding a random door. She shivered as a wind swept through, her armour and dark skin doing little to warm her against Vancouver’s cold weather. The pounding of boots on the sidewalk brought her straight at attention, back straight and rifle held over her shoulder. A small figure sprinted around the corner, ducking behind Hannah and holding onto the edge of her leg armour. A small girl’s face peaked up from the voluminous coat she was wearing, a look of terror etched into her face.

A soldier came next, panting as he came around the corner and skidded to a stop, hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. “That… little… bitch…” The soldier was completely out of breath, barely able to get the words out, “Pickpocketed me… stole… my wallet…”

Hannah looked down at the girl, a look of pure innocence on her features. “What did you just say Private?”

He looked up at her, unsure of the serious tone Hannah had taken, “What?”

She marched forward, bunching his shirt in an armoured fist and bringing his face close till their noses nearly touched, “How dare you speak to a child like that. No matter what she may or may not have done.”

He started stammering, amazed that the situation had been flipped on him, “But but…”

Hannah shoved him forward, the soldier collapsing into a snow drift a small distance away. She made her way back to the small girl, crouching down in front of her with a smile and kind eyes, “Hey. Did you by chance happen to borrow this rude man’s wallet?”

The girl looked between Hannah and the man, unsure of what to do. She shook her head slightly, the look in her eyes betraying her lie.

“Are you sure?” Hannah reached out, lightly placing her hand on the small girl’s arm, the child almost immediately flinching at the contact, “You’re not in trouble. But you shouldn’t take things that don’t belong to you.” She could tell from the girl’s clothes she was homeless, or at least didn’t have a proper home, “How about this; you give me the wallet, and I’ll make sure you get a hot meal and a place to sleep, how does that sound?”

A look of hope flashed across her face but was soon replaced by suspicion of the stranger offering her what couldn’t be true. Her eyes frantically searched for an escape route, tears welling up within them, obviously frightened by the events. The child looked down at the ground, unsure of what to do.

Hannah’s eyes were drawn downwards, a brief flash of blue issuing forth from the child’s hands. They widened with disbelief. _No… it couldn’t be._ She looked back up into the tear-filled eyes of the child. The girl shoved with all her might, blue dark energy flaring from all over her body and sending Hannah crashing backwards into a wall. N7 operative and the girl locked eyes, both completely shocked by the turn of events.

The girl sprinted off, seeing her chance and taking it. Hannah got to her feet as quickly as she could, starting to give chase. The other solider began to follow, Hannah turning to him, “Don’t you dare. I think you’ve scared her enough.” She ran after the child, keeping pace but unable to gain on her. She was surprisingly quick for being homeless and almost definitely malnourished.

Hannah was led on a wild chase through several backstreets of Vancouver, every so often losing sight of the girl. Eventually, she ran into an alley, the girl nowhere to be seen. It was a dead-end, she couldn’t have escaped from here. “Hey, come out! I’m not going to hurt you; I just want to make sure you’re ok!”

“NO!” The shrill shout echoed through the alley, “You’ll just put me back in there! I’m not going back!”

Hannah had nearly narrowed down where the girl was, “I’m not going to put you anywhere.” She sat down in the middle of the alley, clicking the button on her rifle and making it collapse to fit onto the holder on her back, “In fact, you and I have something in common.”

The N7 operative raised her hand, blue dark energy curling around her arm. Hannah saw a small pale face pop out from behind a dumpster, staring wide eyed at the soldier. “You… you can do it too?”

Hannah turned to look at the girl, a gentle smile on her dark features, “Told you we have something in common. Why don’t you come out from there and I can show you a bit more?”

The child edged out tentatively, eyes constantly flitting to the street behind Hannah. She made her way to sit in front of the woman, crossing her legs on the ground. She held out her hands, causing the blue energy to glow between them. It was unstable, and a rudimentary skill at best, but the girl had potential.

“Watch this.” Hannah concentrated, producing a perfect, writhing sphere of dark energy between her hands. The girl’s eyes lit up in wonder as she reached forward. The moment she touched it, her hair began to rise up, pushing the hood of her coat down onto her back. Her fiery mane of hair was revealed, just reaching her shoulders. Hannah gently pushed her hands together, holding the girl’s own between her two armoured ones, “What’s your name?”

The suspicion returned, the child unsure if she should answer, “Eliza.”

“That’s a very pretty name. I’m Hannah. It’s good to meet you Eliza.” Eliza remained silent, still processing the turn of events. “How old are you Eliza?”

“Eight.” Hannah’s eyes widened at the answer. Only eight years old and already on the street. She promised herself in that moment she would do something about that.

“My my, almost grown up!” A bashful smile crossed Eliza’s face, “Tell you what, you come with me, and I’ll make sure you get looked after for at least a little bit, how does that sound?”

Eliza’s smile disappeared, “Only… only if you promise I don’t have to go back.”

Hannah wasn’t sure if she could make that promise, unsure of where exactly Eliza meant. But the look on Eliza’s face was one of pure terror, so it can’t have been good no matter where it was. “I promise to do everything I can to make sure you don’t.” She stood up, holding her hand out to Eliza. The girl took it, gripping the amour tightly, pulling herself in close to the soldier’s leg.

The duo walked out of the alley, making their way back to the Alliance facility.

 

* * *

 

**Sunday, 7:40pm, 11 th of April 2162**

**Rear Admiral Steven Hackett’s Office, Alliance Military Headquarters, Vancouver**

 

“You want to what?” Hackett was taken aback at the request.

Hannah Shepard stood at attention in front of the Admiral’s desk, “I want to adopt her, sir.”

He sat back in his chair before leaning forward and pointing at the red hair visible through his office window in the corridor outside, “You want to adopt an eight-year-old, biotically gifted child who has escaped from an Alliance funded program specifically for people like her?”

“Pardon the insubordination sir, but I am like her. You didn’t see the look on her face. She was terrified of it. Lucky for me, my biotics only manifested later in life, but the training was brutal. How do you think an eight-year-old would fare in it?”

Hackett looked thoughtful as he considered Hannah’s words. “I have heard rumours from the biotics division… none of it good.” He sighed, clasping his hands together, “Lieutenant… you have to know what you’re asking. It’s going to be tough to convince the Alliance brass to even consider it.”

“Then don’t tell them.” She was resolute in her request, “Or don’t tell them till it’s too late and they can’t reverse it. I can train her sir. I’m a biotic, so I can teach her anything she needs in that regard. I’ll train her to control it. And when she’s old enough, maybe the Alliance can have some input.”

The Rear Admiral glanced out at the mane of red hair just visible through his window. “If it was anyone else, Hannah, I would reject this request. There’s enough heat coming down on you for disobeying a direct order.” Hannah’s mouth turned into a thin line, “But… I will make this happen.” A smile broke out on her face, Hackett turning serious at the same time. “I’m not the only one you have to convince. If the child herself doesn’t agree, it isn’t much better than sending her back to the program.”

“I understand, sir.” She would do whatever it took.

“If she agrees, and only if she does, I will keep my promise and help you with the process.” Hannah could feel her joy at his words building. Hackett spoke once more, “On one condition.” Hannah stood at attention, “I want to be kept appraised of the child’s pro-”

The Lieutenant interrupted, “Eliza. Her name is Eliza.” She considered her words for a moment, “Eliza Shepard.”

Hackett smiled, “…Eliza’s progress and well-being.”

Hannah saluted, a broad grin on her face, “Thank you sir. You won’t regret this.”

“Be sure that I don’t. Dismissed.”

Hannah marched from the office, lightly closing the door behind her. She was still in her full armour, the lights on it shining through the relatively dim corridor. Eliza sat in a chair just outside the door, swinging her legs back and forth. Hannah crouched down in front of Eliza, resting her hands on the girl’s knees. “So… Eliza. I have a question for you.”

Eliza stared at her, still unsure of the woman in front of her. So far, she had kept her promise and Eliza hadn’t even heard mention of the place she’d escaped from. But what if Hannah had lied, like so many others in her short life? “What?”

Hannah tried to think of the best way to put it, “How would you feel about coming to live with me? Permanently. No going back to the scary place. Just you and me. Mother and Daughter.”

The small girl with the fiery red hair’s mouth fell open. She had met this woman only a few hours ago, and now she was offering to come live with her. Offering to be her mother. Tears filled her eyes as Eliza flung herself forward, wrapping her arms around Hannah’s neck. She believed the kind smile and dark eyes in front of her. For the first time in her life, she actually believed an adult wanted what was best for her, not just the blue light she could make with her mind.

Hannah was almost bowled over by the girl’s hug. She responded the instant she had regained her balance, wrapping her arms around the small girl’s back. They remained locked in their embrace for several moments, Eliza overjoyed she wouldn’t have to sleep outside anymore or beg for food. Hannah stood to her full height, Eliza’s arms remaining wrapped around her neck. The N7 met Hackett’s gaze with a huge grin, holding on to her new daughter. Hackett nodded with approval, himself glad the girl had accepted the Lieutenant. He had been dreading sending her back to the program for biotic children, well aware of the ‘training’ they were put through, closer to torture than anything else.

Eliza didn’t seem to want to let go, so Hannah walked off down the hall, carrying the girl to her new life.

 

* * *

 

**Wednesday, 8:30am, 11 th of April 2170**

**Shepard Household, Vancouver**

 

Eliza’s jab was easily blocked, the failed attack retaliated against with a shove to the shoulders.

“Keep your guard up!” Her mother’s command was not easy to obey. They’d been sparring for an hour, sweat dripping from both of them.

It was her birthday, or as near as it could be. Her real birthday had remained a mystery, but they’d both agreed that considering this was the date of the best day of both their lives, they’d choose it. Sixteen, and the first thing she’d wanted to do was have a no holds barred sparring match with Hannah. No biotics, just good old-fashioned boxing. She’d regretted asking after the tenth minute, her mother’s training coming into full effect almost immediately. Hannah had taught Eliza a lot of self-defence, but obviously not all she knew, considering how many blows she’d taken already.

Eliza jumped away, breathing hard, hands falling to her side. “Not even going easy on me on my birthday, Mom?” She asked the question with a grin.

“Come now. You asked to spar, this is sparring.” Hannah fired back with a smile, “If I go easy, you won’t learn anything.”

Eliza simply fell backwards, lying down on the floor of their living room, flame coloured hair splayed out around her head. “Then I yield. If we keep this up, I’ll spend the rest of my birthday lying down.”

Hannah tapped her chin, “I don’t really see how that’s different from any other day.” Her tease was met by a nearby pillow flying at her, hitting her in the chest. “Well now, that’s just rude.”

Eliza laughed, throwing another pillow at her mother, “You left yourself open! It’s not every day Commander Shepard lets her guard down! I had to take my chance!”

Hannah cocked an eyebrow, “Oh, did you now?” She smirked wickedly, hands lighting up with blue dark energy. Eliza’s eyes widened as every pillow in their living room rose up into the air.

“Oh no…” The pillows came flying, hitting her everywhere. Every time she tried to bring a barrier up or use her biotics on the offence, another pillow would break her concentration, the barrage unrelenting, “Mom! Please! I yield!”

The pillows abruptly fell to the ground, mother and daughter laughing uncontrollably. Hannah held her hand out, pulling Eliza off the floor. “Happy birthday Eliza.”

Eliza wrapped her arms around Hannah, “Thanks Mom.”

They separated, “Any other requests for today?” Hannah had always tried to make each of Eliza’s birthdays about her, doing anything she wanted. They’d toured starships, been to the Citadel and even made it out to a few of the human colonies on the outskirts of Citadel space. All things Eliza had wanted to do.

“Pizza?” Both of their stomachs growled loudly at the question.

“…I probably should’ve guessed that. Pizza it is.”

They left the house, spending the rest of the day together.

 

* * *

 

**Monday, 9:00am, 13 th of April 2172**

**Alliance Navy Recruitment Centre, Vancouver**

Eliza tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for her name to be called. She’d been sitting in the same chair since the centre had opened three hours beforehand. She’d been wanting to do this on her 18th birthday, but apparently this particular branch of the military believed in weekends. Ever since that fateful day a little over ten years ago, Eliza had already decided what she wanted to do with her life. She would join the Alliance Navy just as her mother had. She would make Hannah and the Shepard name proud.

Hannah sat next to her daughter, a small smirk on her face at the incessant foot tapping. She wouldn’t have been surprised if Eliza had worn a depression into the floor from the movement. When Eliza had first expressed interest in joining the Alliance Military a few years beforehand, Hannah had been completely against it. She felt her daughter was only going to join because she herself was in it. It was only after several hour-long discussions that Hannah had realised, she would never be able to stop her daughter joining, nor should she.

Eliza wanted to apply to the military for one simple reason. It had failed her. Before Hannah, before having a mother, she was simply another experiment for the Alliance Navy. They had tortured her, all under the guise of training her to use her biotics as a weapon. An innocent little girl, too young to understand anything they were doing to her, was used as a tool to advance knowledge they could have simply waited for. If they had asked Eliza as an adult, she would likely have been more than willing to help them understand the gift that biotics bestowed on the chosen few. Hell, even Hannah herself had helped their research, and her biotics weren’t as powerful as Eliza’s and hadn’t had nearly the same level of improvement Eliza had.

Eliza had spent hours explaining to Hannah her reason. Complaining about the treatment from the outside would have done nothing. No one listens to one crazy person. But if she were able to get into the military, maybe she could bring about real change in it, or at least prevent what had happened to her happening to any other little girl or boy. And the fact that she would be serving humanity alongside it, made Eliza all the surer this was the right path for her. She would be able to help those like her and everyone else at the same time, a reason Hannah could fully get behind.

So here they were, waiting for Eliza’s name to be called out at the recruitment centre. Hannah had heavily accelerated the process, skipping many of the normally required background checks and recruitment forms. Her extensive reports to Rear Admiral Hackett on Eliza’s progress and wellbeing had given all the information the Alliance would need to assess Eliza’s suitability. Her biotic abilities were another positive, Hannah having trained her daughter to use them with precision and skill.

A Sergeant walked out of a hallway, reading a clipboard of paperwork, “Shepard, Eliza!”

Eliza grinned at Hannah before marching over and saluting the marine. “Reporting for duty, sir!”

The Sergeant was slightly taken aback by her enthusiasm, “Right… this way please.” Eliza followed him down the hall and out of sight of Hannah. They stopped outside an office, “The doctor is through there. She will perform your physical and tell you where to go after.”

Eliza nodded, entering the small room and closing the door behind her. The physical assessment was rapid, the doctor quickly ticking off every required question. The test soon headed towards Eliza’s biotics.

“Any headaches from extended use?”

“No ma’am.” Eliza quickly answered, excited to be nearly finished and start her training properly.

“No other symptoms? No nausea, muscle pain or loss of sensation?”

“No ma’am.”

The doctor only had one last question, “Implant?”

“L3z ma’am.”

The doctor’s head flew up, staring at Eliza, “Excuse me?”

Eliza was unsure at the doctor’s reaction, “Um… my implant is a L3z?”

“I think you must be mistaken Miss Shepard. There is no such implant.”

A few drops of sweat rolled down Eliza’s forehead at the accusation, “It’s what my mother said had been implanted. I’ve asked her about it many times, same answer.” She swallowed as the doctor kept her gaze, an incredulous look on her face.

“And who is your mother? Why would she know about an implant that doesn’t exist within the Alliance Navy?”

“Uh… Staff Commander Hannah Shepard ma’am.”

The doctor cocked an eyebrow at the answer, obviously not believing Eliza. The fact they didn’t even have remotely close to the same skin tone was what turned the doctor against her in less than a second. “Impersonating an individual is quite a serious offence Miss Shepard.” Before Eliza could reply, the doctor stood, making her way to the door, “Wait here. Don’t move.”

She left and Eliza heard a key slide into the lock and trap Eliza with a click. Eliza tested the door, finding herself truly locked in. She fell into a chair, threading her fingers together behind her head. How could this have happened? Surely her mother had not lied to her about her implant? What possible reason could there be?

“Staff Commander Shepard.” Hannah looked up from her omni tool to find a doctor standing before her, “Are you aware there is a young woman here, claiming to be your daughter?”

Hannah was confused at the question, “Well, I drove her here, so I should hope so.”

“Are you also aware she is claiming to be implanted with a biotic implant that does not exist?”

Hannah narrowed her eyes, “Excuse me?”

The doctor had a smug smile on her face, happy to have caught the young woman in at least one of the lies she suspected her of. “She is claiming to be fitted with a L3z implant. They do not exist.”

Hannah rose to her feet, towering over the doctor. At almost six feet tall, she was taller than most men, and half a foot taller than the doctor, “Are you accusing my daughter of lying?”

The doctor stammered out, intimidated and confused at Hannah’s reaction, “Um... yes?”

“I can assure you-” Hannah looked down at the doctor’s uniform, instantly identifying the woman as a lower rank than herself, “-Corporal, that my daughter is not in fact lying. She is, in fact, fitted with a L3z biotic implant, and has been for nearly her entire life. Now, what you are going to do, is go back there and apologise to my daughter for accusing her of something with absolutely zero evidence to back up your claims. Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?” Hannah had switched to her authoritative voice, the one she used to give orders to any troops under her command.

The doctor swallowed, shrinking back away from her superior officer, “Yes ma’am.” She practically ran out of the room, Hannah giving a satisfied nod before sitting back down and firing up her omni tool once more.

Eliza jumped straight to attention at the door being unlocked and opened, the doctor entering and looking far more harried than when she left. “Sorry for the inconvenience Miss Shepard. I have realised my mistake and apologise for any distress I may have caused. Report to the base at this address no later than 0700 hours tomorrow for the start of your training.” She handed Eliza a hastily scribbled on piece of paper, along with the approved physical paperwork. “Welcome to the Alliance Navy, Private Shepard.”

“Thank you, ma’am!” Eliza practically shouted her last words, ecstatic that all her worrying had been for nothing. Hannah broke into a grin the moment she saw Eliza’s beaming smile emerging from the hallway. The young woman proudly held up the approved paperwork, “I am officially a soldier in the Alliance Navy.”

Hannah chuckled, “You know what this means right?” Eliza looked confused for a moment, “Well, it means you have to do whatever I say. I am your superior officer after all.” Some colour drained from Eliza’s smiling face. Hannah’s laugh grew louder, “Didn’t see that coming did you?” She put her arm around her daughter’s shoulders, leading her out of the building, “I’m kidding by the way.” Relief washed over Eliza, “Come on, let's go celebrate.”

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 9:40pm, 18 th of July 2176**

**Systems Alliance Colony, Elysium**

 

2nd Lieutenant Shepard stood guard at the edge of the Alliance colony, watching for any signs of trouble. There wouldn’t be any, but this close to the Terminus Systems warranted a more vigilant approach to keeping the colonists safe. Her unit had been stationed here for a month; disturbing reports of an imminent threat having reached the Alliance’s leaders. They were worried of an attack on Humanity’s oldest colony in the Skyllian Verge and had reinforced it accordingly.

Eliza had risen through the ranks at a meteoric rate, becoming the youngest soldier to ever reach the rank of Lieutenant. Her fame had spread through the ranks like wildfire, so much so that she was often confused with her mother when their family name was mentioned in some reports. Just a few months before, Hannah had been promoted to Captain and taken command of her own starship. Eliza had been ecstatic with her mother’s promotion, Hannah less so. While she didn’t reject the promotion, it had meant less time to see Eliza. It had taken her daughter less than ten minutes to convince her to take the promotion, arguing that Hannah shouldn’t hold herself back in her career just for Eliza’s sake. And besides, Eliza was doing just fine on her own. She had proven herself more than capable in her short yet remarkable service.

She’d been given the command of an entirely biotic unit of twelve men and women. Most of them were fitted with L3 implants, but Eliza commanded two L2s as well, both with less severe side effects than was common among other L2 users. Many of them were several years older than her, but had fallen into line soon after she’d taken command. Not only was she a significantly more powerful biotic, but she’d earned their respect over several missions with effective leadership and flawless tactics. They had yet to have a single injury in the four months since the squad had been formed, a testament to Eliza’s qualities as an officer.

Gunnery Chief Alenko stood a few metres away from Shepard, binoculars in hand, scanning the darkness ahead of them. “Could really go for a beer right about now.”

Shepard snickered, “You and me both. Though I’m pretty sure Anderson wouldn’t be too happy with that.”

Alenko let his arms go slack, barely able to see anything even with the night vision setting on, “Do we really need to be out here? There’s been nothing for hours. I’m all for following orders, but this is ridiculous. Three days and not a single peep from anything.”

Shepard’s voice turned serious, “Captain Anderson ordered us to guard this colony, and that’s exactly what I plan on doing.”

Alenko scoffed at her, “This, coming from the daughter of Captain Shepard, famous for disobeying direct orders?”

Shepard turned her head to stare at Alenko, “There is a time and place for disobeying orders. Usually when your superior is an idiot, like most of my mother’s seem to be. Anderson, however, is not. He is an N7 and I have yet to see him give a bad command.” Shepard smiled, her voice coming out joking, “Though, you could try disobeying his orders. I haven’t court martialled anyone since becoming a Lieutenant, maybe you could be the first.” She winked at him, a slight blush colouring his cheeks.

Alenko stammered out, “Um uh… I’d rather not be court martialled, but I’ll keep the offer in mind.”

They resumed their duty, scanning the horizon for potential threats. Shepard’s eyes were drawn to a ship descending through the clouds. She immediately radioed through to Captain Anderson, “Sir, are we expecting any ships arriving?”

The response took a few moments, “Nothing on the logs. Can you get an ID?”

Shepard took Alenko’s binoculars, scanning the outside of the ship for anything they could identify it with. “None, sir. But… sir, it looks of Batarian make.”

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the comms, “Prepare the auto cannons. Set them to track the ship, but don’t fire until I give the order.”

Shepard immediately began running towards the control room for the guns, “Yes sir.” She could hear the grinding of the weapon emplacement as it shifted to follow the ship all the way to the ground. Shepard came back outside, finding a pale looking Chief Alenko.

“Shepard… we might have a problem.” She followed his line of sight to dozens of ships plummeting through the clouds. Batarian, Turian and even more Human-make ships came down, all without identifying marks to indicate who or possibly what may have arrived.

“Sir, I count at least forty ships, no markings. I think they may be pirates.” Shepard’s voice was worried, unsure if their small force could take on the armada that had come for them. Many of the ships hovered in the air several miles away, all facing the small colony. Five ships had landed, armed men and women alighting from the craft. Shepard could make out mostly Batarians among them, with a few Humans and Turians as well.

Before Anderson could reply, the ships in the air fired, the flare of their cannons lighting up the night. Shepard’s eyes widened as she clicked the button on her suit, her helmet folding out of the armour at her neck and sealing around her head. She surrounded herself and Alenko with a barrier, Alenko reinforcing it as best he could. Before they could even get a single blast off, the attack from the ships hit each and every one of the weapons on the wall of the colony, the force of the blast throwing Shepard and Alenko several yards away.

Their radios immediately echoed with orders, the speakers throughout the colony sounding out with the same message. “WE ARE UNDER ATTACK. ALL CIVILIANS EVACUATE TO THE SHUTTLE PAD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. ALL ALLIANCE FORCES, HELP WITH THE EVACUATION AND RETREAT.” There was a click as Anderson switched to just talking to the soldiers, “Hold the line while the civilians get clear. I want no heroics. We get these people out of here, then we go too. Understood?”

Every soldier on the frequency responded, “Yes sir!”

One more click echoed through Shepard’s ears as she helped Alenko back to his feet, “Shepard. I need you and your squad to hold the line while I radio through for reinforcements. Shoot to kill, they mean business.”

“Yes sir.” The duo immediately took up defensive positions, both pulling their snipers from their holders. The rest of Shepard’s squad came running from the barracks, “All of you, if you have a shot take it. We take as many of these pirates as we can, then retreat further in. Hit and run tactics. We’re all getting out of here. Make them work for every foot. Got it?”

“YES MA’AM!”

Shepard slowing breathed in, scoping down onto a Batarian right in the middle of the pack of pirates making its way to the colony. “On my signal…. Fire.” Their muzzles all flashed as one, twelve of the pirates’ heads exploding and collapsing amongst their fellows. Shepard watched with satisfaction as their forces scattered, running for cover from the fire. All of her squad were lying prone on the ground, deactivating their armour’s lights and hiding themselves from sight.

The squad continued firing on the pirates, taking out dozens of the pirate’s forces. There seemed to be no end to them, more of the ships descending and letting off more troops to face them. The remaining ships still floating bombarded the colony, some of the buildings beginning to crumble from the sustained barrage. Some of the pirates were less than a hundred metres away. Shepard radioed through to Anderson, “Any word on reinforcements sir?”

“It’s not good Shepard. At least six hours away at minimum.”

Shepard’s mind raced with possible plans. She hit upon the only one she thought might work for that length of time. “I’m retreating into the colony sir. Make them come to us.”

“Understood.”

“Fall back!” Shepard leapt to her feet, soon followed by her squad. They retreated through the only gate into the colony. “Alenko, take Johnson, O’Reilly, Toshiwa, Grayson and Abara. Take cover in the buildings on the west side of Main Street. I’ll take the rest and cover the east. Funnel their forces to the centre of the colony. We’ll take them from both sides and flank them. Understood?”

Alenko nodded, silently moving off with the chosen troops. Shepard led her own through the back streets, directing some into buildings and up through the floors. By the time she’d set it up, they all had positions overlooking the main gate, but still easily defensible and almost impossible to spot. Every solider had guns trained on the gate, just waiting for the first pirate to poke their head out.

“How’s the evacuation looking sir?”

“Nearly 90 percent of all colonists accounted for. You can retreat further into the colony if necessary.”

“Thank you, sir.” Shepard had set up on the ground floor of a small restaurant some ways away from the gate. She aimed out of the door she’d propped open, drumming her fingers along the side of her assault rifle. She’d wanted to use her biotics, but the blue dark energy would be far too easy to spot, and she’d be dead in seconds. She whispered down the comms, “I’ll take the first one out. Let them come a bit further in, then start shooting.”

Her helmet folded back into her armour, her hand coming up to wipe the sweat from her brow. She would need perfect accuracy to make the shot and she’d always found the helmet stifling. Shepard controlled her breathing, waiting for the chance to fire. A Batarian pirate poked his head around the side of the gate, looking for any sign of the Alliance soldiers that had killed his fellow criminals. Shepard sighted down to the exact centre point between his four eyes, but then thought better of it. She used her biotics, modding her ammo with the dark energy. She moved the rifle down just slightly, coming to a rest in the centre of his chest.

The bullet cut through the air, surrounded by an almost imperceptible biotic field. It struck the Batarian in his chest, taking him off his feet and killing him instantly. The force of the bullet had collapsed his armour and the bones beneath it, the crunch as they broke being heard by his comrades. Shepard breathed out, waiting for the next pirate to step into the open.

Their enemies slowly filtered in, passing the troops closer to the gates, unaware they were being watched. Shepard could make out the nervous expressions on the pirates faces, perhaps indicating this wasn’t exactly what they had signed up for. It didn’t matter. They had attacked an Alliance colony, and Shepard wouldn’t let them get away with it. Twenty pirates had now entered the colony, making their way down the main road through to the centre of town.

Shepard waited till they’d taken a few more steps. “Fire.” Gunfire reverberated through the whole colony, the screams of some civilians further in dampened by the noise. Pirates dropped like flies, their bodies filling the street. Shepard felt the building she was in shake as the bombardment from above hit it, cracks appearing in the walls. Pirates fired wildly into random buildings, trying to stop their attackers. The Alliance troops managed to avoid the retaliatory bullets, mowing down their foes with efficiency.

Soon, the pirates began to use small side streets as cover, only advancing after the next volley from the Alliance forces. Three of Shepard’s squad were behind the point the pirates had managed to advance to. “Move further into the colony. I’ll cover you.” Her orders were followed, all of the troops retreating further in. Shepard lay down suppressive fire, sweeping her rifle back and forth and halting the pirate’s advance for a few moments.

“THERE!” A cry rang out.

“Oh shit.” The pirates had spotted her, the muzzle flash of her rifle giving away her position. Shepard dove for cover behind the bar, the glass front shattering behind her. Bullets whizzed over her head, shattering the bottles above her and sending their contents cascading down around Shepard. “Alenko, can you lay down covering fire?” She shouted above the noise, reinforcing the barrier around her.

“We’ve got you Shepard, MOVE!”

Shepard vaulted over the bar, a few stray bullets still filling the air. Her squad shot at the pirates, forcing them backwards through the street even as Shepard smashed through the glass and rolled directly into the middle of the street. She sprang to her feet, sprinting down the road towards the centre of the colony. She noticed several of her squad as she passed them. Bullets reflected off her barrier, the force almost sending Shepard stumbling. She made it into an alleyway, peaking around the corner at the approaching enemies.

The pirates had stopped firing for the moment, using the break to mobilise into a better formation. Shepard did the same. “Retreat all the way to the centre. Get into any of the buildings with a clear line of sight around the square. I’ll make some cover on the far side.” Shepard pulled out a grenade, dark energy flaring up around her arm as she pulled the pin. She threw it as hard as she could, her biotically enhanced strength sending it sailing straight into the middle of the group of pirates. They barely had time to react before it exploded, shredding the ones closest to the blast.

Shepard’s squad followed her orders, retreating even further into the colony. The pirates kept coming, at least ten coming through every few minutes. Shepard was now convinced this was a full-scale attack. They were outnumbered at least twenty to one, if not more. They had so far taken out at least a hundred of the pirates, but they seemed to have no end. Even over the buildings Shepard could still make out at least twenty ships, waiting to descend if the situation called for it. They had obviously been planning this for quite some time.

They all used the cover of the grenade, firing behind them as they ran through the colony. Shepard made her way straight through the large open space in the centre of the colony, making it to the far side. Only four roads through the colony entered this square, and one of them had a straight shot to the gate. She made her way to the one opposite, glancing around for anything she could use to make some cover. Finding nothing, she used her biotics to grip support structures on either side of the street. She grunted with the effort, beginning to exert force on the structures. With a bellow, she Pulled them down hard, collapsing the corners of the buildings into rubble. She had made a perfect bit of cover to hide behind. She might not even need to drop completely behind it to get away from the gunfire of the pirates, enabling her to continue attacking while still preventing injury. Her troops repeated the action at the two remaining streets the pirates hadn’t yet come down, disguising Shepard’s handiwork. They’d needed three on each side to achieve what Shepard had, but they’d done it nonetheless.

She noted the positions of each one of her squad. They’d followed her orders to the letter, all hiding in strategic buildings around the square. They had created a perfect kill box within the colony. No matter what street the pirates decided to come down, they would have a clear shot and their enemies would be mowed down in seconds. All they had to do was wait for reinforcements and pray their ammo lasted until then.

Shepard crouched down, set her rifle on top of the rubble and waited for the pirates to mobilise. The grenade had disoriented their organization and they were struggling to get it back in line. She noted several of them sticking out in the open, too far from the blast to get injured, but close enough to have some hearing damage. Shepard chose not to fire just yet, trying to lure them into the trap her squad had set up.

Finally, the pirates began to move forward cautiously, glancing down every street they passed. They didn’t even think to send a few down the back streets to maybe catch the soldiers by surprise. Shepard rolled her eyes at the ineptitude of their tactics. This would be easy. They began filtering through into the square, even grouping up in small clumps. A whisper came over their comms, “It’s like they’re lining up for it.”

“Radio silence, now.” Shepard’s biting reply silenced her squad. “Wait for my signal.” Shepard scanned the pirates that had come through. They'd spread fairly evenly over the square, enough they’d have to properly stop firing to switch targets. “Take out the ones closest to you. No biotics.” She waited a few more seconds. “Now.”

Bullets flew through the air, almost all of them taken down in a few moments. Many of them didn’t even have time to aim at their attackers, slaughtered before they could even get their rifles up. The pirates still coming through into the square halted their movement, retreating back the way they came. Shepard continued to fire down the main road, taking them out even as they ran away. They ducked into side streets, avoiding the gunfire of her squad.

Shepard waited for them to come back and try again, but any movement stopped. She noted the gate at the far end of the colony. Her enemies were no longer coming straight down the road, instead filtering off to the sides. She listened for any signs of movement near her. She heard nothing. “Any sign of them?” She whispered.

Abara whispered back, “I think they’re in the back streets ma’am. There’s noise in the alley behind me. Permission to investigate?”

Shepard considered the outcomes of the plan. “Negative. All withdraw to my position. Leave behind traps if you can.”

Immediately, the squad moved, silently crossing the square and setting up behind the rubble. Shepard saw movement out of the corner of her eye, a pirate edging into the square, next to the building Abara had just vacated. He made his way inside, hoping to catch her by surprise. The pirate stepped over the threshold making it only a few more steps. The motion-sensor grenade exploded, annihilating the front of the building and sending the storey above crashing down.

A pirate’s voice rang out, “What the fuck was that?”

“There’s fucking traps now?!”

“Elanos said this was an easy job. Tiny colony, barely any defences. It’s like we’re fighting trained commandos.” A shocked pause followed, “Do the Alliance have troops stationed here?”

As if on cue, Shepard’s squad set the remaining bombs off, sending buildings all around the square crumbling to the ground, crushing any pirates near them. The synchronised explosions flushed more of the pirates stumbling into the square, quickly taken out by the Alliance squad.

Shepard ducked back behind the cover, bringing up her omni tool. She searched for any unknown but used radio signals in the area. She found one, smiling as she began to speak, “You have no idea how right you are. This is Lieutenant Shepard, Officer of the Alliance Special Biotics Division. I am ordering you by the authority of the Alliance Navy to cease your attack on this colony. We have reinforcements inbound as we speak. If you do not comply, we will be forced to respond.”

There was a scrambling on the other end, a reply soon coming through, “Now why, Lieutenant Shepard,” Her name came through dripping with sarcasm, “Would I stop? You’ve just let on there’s only a few of you. If I just keep throwing troops at you, eventually you’ll all make mistakes, and I’ll destroy this colony with almost no effort.”

Shepard rolled her eyes, “We’ve already taken out over a hundred of you. And did you miss the part about reinforcements?”

“I’m well aware of Alliance response times. You’ll all be dead and we’ll be long gone by the time they get here. You’ve been warned.” There was a scuffle and a muffled conversation on the other end, “I don’t care how hard it is, SWITCH CHANNELS!” The radio abruptly went dead. Shepard nodded at her squad, all prepared to fight as long as it took for their reinforcements to arrive.

At the end of the transmission, more pirates entered the gate, these ones coming down the main road straight toward them. They stuck close to the wall, attempting to stay out of sight of the squad. Shepard sighted down her rifle, unable to get a clear shot as they approached. The Alliance soldiers could all hear pirates approaching from almost every direction, their enemies making no secret of their location. Shepard tried to think of a plan, but only came up with her original. Keep retreating further back until reinforcements arrived. But that wouldn’t work now. They had retreated as far as they could without putting the civilians at the shuttle port in danger. They would have to make their stand here.

Shepard quickly gave the orders, assigning four troops to each of the roads approaching the square that they hadn’t covered, with the remaining three and herself to cover the main road. They calmly waited for their chance to strike for maximum damage. The pirates seemed to know where they were now, carefully avoiding a direct line of sight with the rubble Shepard had created. If they were anything like their comrades however, they weren’t very good shots, and would need to get into the open to actually hit them. Shepard would use their ineptitude against them.

The Lieutenant was soon proven right, pirates from every direction springing forth to fire upon them. The Alliance soldiers reacted, taking them down with deadly efficiency. The squad began to use biotics, Shepard seeing no sense in hampering their combat prowess now that the pirates knew where they were hiding. Bodies were thrown away from the barrier, landing with bone crunching force against whatever they hit. Shepard threw Singularities where she could, lifting Batarians, Humans and Turians alike to be take out with clean shots through their chests or heads. Shockwaves thundered over the small battlefield to carve through any pirates unlucky enough to be caught in the attack.

Bodies began to pile up in the square as more pirates streamed in to meet their untimely deaths. There seemed to be no end to their numbers, steadily increasing if anything. If they kept coming like this, they would soon be overrun. The biotic soldiers could hold their own against a small army here, but this many would soon overwhelm them. They’d been defending the colony for almost four hours by this point, from the first bullet out of Shepard’s sniper to this point in time. She gave the only order she could think of.

“All of you retreat to the shuttles. I’ll cover you.”

Alenko protested the order, “Shepard, that’s suicide!”

Shepard turned to look at him, a furious rage in her eyes. “That was an order Chief. GO!”

Bullets continued to pound against the barricade as Shepard concentrated biotic energy into her hands. She produced twin singularities within her fists, grunting and sweating with the effort of maintaining them. Her arms began to shake as the dark energy built up to blistering intensity. With one last yell of effort, she pulsed some of her biotics straight down, sending her sailing into the air. She was wreathed with blue dark energy as she reached the apex of her leap. The singularities flew down with extreme precision, perfectly lifting the two larges groups in the square. Shepard pulled her assault rifle out while still in mid-air, taking out several pirates before she hit the ground. She aimed straight back up the moment she’d regained her balance, taking out the remaining floating adversaries.

She saw that her squad had not moved. “I SAID GO! MOVE IT!” They responded, leaving their weapons behind and scrambling towards the shuttles. Alenko was the last to move, nodding to the biotic soldier, flaming red hair cascading over her armoured shoulders. Shepard gave a brief nod back before returning her attention to the pirates, picking them off as they regrouped from her attack.

She was soon alone, her squad long gone. They’d left every weapon they had carried, only keeping their pistols. Shepard didn’t bother waiting for the weapon to cooldown, instead just picking up a fresh gun from the pile beside her. She made every single bullet count, not missing a single mark. Grenades carved through the air at ridiculous speeds, every throw biotically charged. They’d hit a pirate in the chest, take them from their feet and explode into their surrounding allies.

Shepard was running on little more than adrenaline, her shots deadly and her biotics near constantly in use. She felt the ache of her body as it started to protest her exertion, but ignored it, knowing she had to defend this colony at all costs. If this one fell, it would only encourage raids on other settlements the Alliance had set up. She would not let that happen.

The tide of pirates began to slow, Shepard’s efforts finally making an impact on their numbers. Somehow, she’d managed to hold off an army single-handedly. Shepard herself wasn’t even sure how she’d done it. She could feel her biotic amp almost overheating from overuse, a dull pain in the side of her skull. Every muscle was on fire, telling Shepard to just give up and let them overtake her position. She refused, continuing to fire and use any and all tools at her disposal.

She was soon down to the last gun she had; all the rest of them almost impossible to touch with how overheated they were. She’d used them so much they were barely holding together. Every grenade had been thrown, taking out as she could with precise explosions. She stood up, torso above the barrier as she mowed down the last few pirates she could see in the square. As the last one fell, she sighed with relief. She’d done it, taken out every pirate that had come for her and somehow survived. She had a few bullet wounds, but nothing too serious. She’d live through them with a few scars, souvenirs to tell her story. She’d received word at some point during the fight that every single colonist and all her squad had been evacuated safely. This was a victory.

A single shot echoed through the air.

Shepard spun as the bullet struck her in the shoulder, passing clean through her armour and out the other side. She collapsed to the ground, pulling herself to hide behind the barrier. She grunted with the pain, a small amount of her blood trickling from the open wound onto her armour. Shepard applied medi-gel, the pain slowly lessening until it was just a dull ache. Laughter rang out from somewhere beyond the square, one of the last pirates she assumed.

“HA! I GOT YOU!” A Batarian’s voice echoed over the space, Shepard managing to poke her head up and watch him and several other Batarians walk boldly into the open. “You might have taken the rest of them out. But not us. No fucking human is going to take us down.” She noted the sniper rifle in his hands, the only weapon that would have been capable of the firepower necessary to punch clean through two layers of armour and the underlying flesh.

Every pirate unloaded into the front of her cover, the noise deafening as Shepard pressed herself into the rubble and covered her head. She pulled her legs to her chest, trying to make herself as small a target as possible, in case any projectile managed to make it through.

The noise stopped, the Lieutenant taking her chance. Shepard popped up from behind the cover, taking aim at the Batarians. They were unprepared for the sudden attack, still waiting for their weapons to cool.

_Click. Hiss._

Her gun overheated right in front of her, hissing out superheated gas from the side vents. Shepard’s eyes widened at this turn of events. They were going to aim too fast; she couldn’t escape. This was it. She was staring death in the face.

Every enemy suddenly had a large hole in somewhere vital. Shepard fell to the ground behind her cover, breathing hard and wincing from the pain in her shoulder. Just as she was about to spring back up and see if there were any more pirates she could take out with her biotics, a rumbling from above stopped her. She looked up to see Alliance ships descend through the clouds, immediately firing on the remaining pirate ships. They exploded in a spectacular fireworks display, filling the night sky with fireballs. She watched as only a single ship managed to escape.

Shepard relaxed back on the rubble, suddenly aware of every single injury. She could feel the distinct wetness of blood under several parts of her armour, her medi-gel reserves spent on her shoulder.

Footsteps drew her attention. She looked up into the eyes of her superior officer. “Shepard. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” A large group of soldiers approached her, many moving off to secure the rest of the colony.

Shepard’s face creased with a tired smile, “Could say the same thing about you sir.”

Anderson stowed the still smoking sniper rifle on his back, shifting his shoulder under Shepard’s and lifting her back to her feet. “You disobeyed a direct order Lieutenant.”

Shepard could only chuckle, groaning as she realised several of her ribs were broken, “Did I? Must get it from somewhere.”

“Does this fall under the category of, ‘my superior is an idiot’?” Shepard audibly swallowed, “Really must learn to turn your radio off Shepard.”

Shepard sighed, “That’s going to come back to bite me, isn’t it?”

“You better believe it will.” Anderson’s voice was full of mirth as he helped Shepard into the shuttle, taking off to the waiting Alliance cruiser above.

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 10:00am, 25 th of July 2176**

**Alliance Navy Headquarters, Vancouver**

Shepard stood on stage with the rest of her squad, full dress-uniform covering the bandages from their injuries. Hannah sat in the front row, the largest grin her daughter had ever seen brightening her face. Shepard struggled to maintain a neutral expression, keeping her eyes facing forward to avoid her mother’s gaze and avoid the risk of laughing in front of the assembled crowd.

Admiral Hackett stood at the podium, “For their unwavering commitment to their duty in the face of overwhelming odds, the Alliance awards the entire Special Biotics Division with medals of bravery. In addition,” Shepard almost asked what more they could give, “For her own efforts to save the lives of the colonists and of her own squad, the Alliance awards 1st Lieutenant Eliza Hannah Shepard` the Star of Terra, the highest honour any soldier within the Alliance Navy can receive. Facing overwhelming forces, Lieutenant Shepard chose to stay behind to make sure her squad would make it out alive. The Alliance commends her for her bravery.”

Eliza’s eyes widened at the thunderous applause, barely able to give a quick “Thank you, sir”, as Hackett pinned the Star of Terra to her uniform. She’d just been promoted without her knowledge and given a medal that only a select few had ever received. She glanced down at her mother, Hannah winking up at her daughter. Eliza knew in an instant that Hannah had known about both the award and the promotion. There was something else her mother knew that Eliza didn’t, she was sure of it. She would have to ask her after the ceremony had concluded.

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 5:20pm, 25 th of July 2176**

**Shepard Household, Vancouver**

“I’ve got what?”

Hannah laughed, handing her daughter the letter, “An N7 commendation. Signed by both Captain Anderson and Admiral Hackett.”

“But… but… I’m only 22. I don’t deserve this.”

Hannah raised an eyebrow, “Don’t deserve it? Eliza, you single-handedly held off an army. You are literally the most eligible candidate for the N7 program in… well ever. Yes, you’re one of the youngest to ever receive the commendation, but does that really matter? You’re ready for this. And if you don’t think you are, I sure as hell do.”

Eliza stared at the letter for a few more moments before allowing a smile to spread across her face, “I’m going to be an N7!”

“That’s more like it.”


	2. Eden Prime

**Thursday, 10:00am, 2 nd of January 2183**

**Citadel Council Chambers, Citadel**

 

_ Alliance Personnel Record _

_Name: Eliza Hannah Shepard_

_Rank: Lieutenant Commander_

_Height: 5 foot, 10 inches_

_Eyes: Green_

_Hair: Red_

_Designation: N7_

_Service no.: 5923-AC-2826_

_Parents: Biological parents unknown. Adopted at age 8 by then 2 nd Lieutenant Hannah Shepard (Authorised by Rear Admiral Steven Hackett)_

_Date of birth: 11 th April 2154 (True date of birth unknown. Assumed upon adoption.)_

_Service Record:_

  * _Served with notable distinction throughout initial years of service_
    * _Received commendation from all commanding officers_
  * _Given Command of Alliance Special Biotics Division in April 2176_
    * _Present during Skyllian Blitz of July 2176_
    * _Led defence of the colony on Elysium_
    * _Held off invasion force for four hours with squad_
      * _Subsequently ordered Alliance Special Biotics Division to retreat_
      * _Single-handedly held off enemy forces for an additional two hours to allow subordinates to retreat_
    * _Received medal for bravery along with Star of Terra on Admiral Steven Hackett’s Recommendation for her efforts above and beyond the call of duty._
  * _N7 commendation on orders from Admiral Hackett, with special mention from Captain David Anderson following Skyllian Blitz_
    * _N7 training began in August 2176_
    * _Completed in record time, resuming mission duty immediately after_



_Skills:_

  * _Excellent tactician (see Skyllian Blitz report)_
  * _Proficient with all Alliance issue weaponry, along with alien weaponry found in the field_
  * _Powerful biotic_
    * _Outfitted with experimental L3z implant during Project *REDACTED*_
      * _According to records, the only one to survive the implanting procedure_
      * _Most subjects die within two months of procedure_
    * _Surpassed all records in the Alliance’s databases_
    * _Assessed by Asari experts_
      * _Far exceeded Human thresholds_
      * _Adept level, even by Asari standards_
    * _Trained by adoptive mother_
      * _Further specialised training upon N7 achievement by Asari Commandos_
    * _Notable hand to hand skill_
      * _Trained to use biotics as a strength and speed enhancer_



_Injuries:_

  * _Sustained multiple injuries in the line of duty_
    * _Skyllian Blitz_
      * _Rifle shot from Batarian-issue weapon, piercing clean through shoulder_
        * _Medi-gel applied on scene_
          * _Medium-sized scar_
        * _Multiple broken ribs_
        * _Minor bullet wounds, treated following event_
    * _N7 training_
      * _Multiple fractures due to harsh nature of training_
      * _Several biotics mishaps when training with Asari Commandos_
        * _Retaliated while injured, shown to have no decrease in biotic strength while injured_



_Notes:_

  * _Has been known to ignore direct orders_
    * _Only if she deems the order unnecessarily dangerous to herself, or the squad she is commanding_
    * _Multiple physical altercations with superiors about above_
  * _Will endanger her own life if it means saving the lives of civilians or her subordinates_
    * _See Skyllian Blitz_
  * _Arguments with superiors regarding biotic welfare_
    * _Extremely vocal about biotic treatment within the military_



The Turian Councillor lowered the datapad, staring at Nihlus with an incredulous look on his face. “You want to nominate a _Human_ as a Spectre candidate?”

“That is what my report says. Or is it that hard to understand?” Nihlus’ grumbling reply was met with a tense stare from the Councillor.

“A Human is sure to be a... divisive choice.” The Asari Councillor had slightly more tact than the Turian representative. “Are you certain this is a wise decision?”

A scoff came from the Turian, “No, it isn’t a wise decision. Humans are little more than bloodthirsty warmongers. I will not allow one of their kind to be a Spectre.”

Nihlus’ voice cut over his race’s representative, “With all due respect, Councillor, this is little more than a courtesy to you. I have already told the Alliance Navy of my decision and I plan to start testing the Commander immediately. She has more than proven herself during service to the Human military. It is time for the galaxy to benefit from her skill.”

“You’ve done what?!” The Turian’s anger echoed in the large chamber.

“Shepard will be a Spectre if I have anything to say about it. This was my decision, and I don’t much care if you don’t agree, Councillor. Her actions on Elysium are exactly what the Spectres are for. Keeping the peace by any means necessary, even our own deaths.” Nihlus’ tone dared the other Turian to react.

The Salarian Councillor spoke up, “I am not against the appointment, but I share the concern. Do you believe Lieutenant Commander Shepard is up to the task of being a Spectre?”

“Whole-heartedly. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must prepare for the testing.” Nihlus spun on his heel and marched away from the Council, leaving them in an angrier state than when he had arrived.

 

* * *

 

**Saturday, 7:00am, 4 th of January 2183**

**Arcturus Station**

 

“A shakedown run sir?” Shepard stood at attention in front of Captain Anderson, trying to wrap her head around why he had possibly assigned her to this mission, “Did I do something wrong? Am I really needed for this? Surely a skeleton crew could handle it.” The questions spilled from her before she could stop them.

“This isn’t up for debate, Commander. You will be my XO on the Normandy.” He paused, trying to evaluate whether he should tell Shepard the next piece of information. “I wouldn’t have asked for you specifically if it was just a shakedown run. You’re right, a skeleton crew could handle it.”

“So why then?” She wasn’t used to having to push Anderson for answers.

“The Normandy is unlike any other ship in the Alliance. It has technology years ahead of any ship you’ve ever served on. It’s a prototype stealth warship. The Turians helped us build it.” He paused for a moment, leaning back in his chair and putting his hands together, “There is another reason for your assignment. We expect there may be trouble on this mission, and the Alliance cannot risk anything going wrong. Therefore, I requested for you to be my XO.”

Shepard tried to not let her shock show, only her eyes widening slightly, “Okay… I’ll take your word for it sir.”

Anderson continued with some haste, “We’re going to Eden Prime, using the Normandy’s shakedown as a front for our true mission. It’s on a need to know basis. You’ll be informed of the details once the mission has begun.” Shepard began to protest, but Anderson silenced her with a raise of his hand. “The Normandy is the only Alliance vessel fast and quiet enough to reach the colony before word gets out. For now, that’s all you need to know, understood?” Shepard nodded, accepting Anderson’s judgement of the need for secrecy. “Before you go Commander.” She turned in the doorway, “This mission is above top secret. You will inform no one you’re even going on a mission. And… there will be a Turian Spectre onboard the Normandy.”

Shepard saluted, marching out the door of Anderson’s office. Only a few steps out, she couldn’t maintain the façade anymore, her face creasing with confusion, “Why the hell would there be a Turian onboard an Alliance vessel? What do they want?” Her words echoed down the empty corridor.

“Commander.” She quickly spun in alarm to a stern look from Anderson poking his head out of the office, “We leave tomorrow at 0800. Get your gear and be ready.”

A thoroughly embarrassed Commander Shepard saluted, and managed to stammer out, “Right away, sir.”

* * *

 

**Monday, 8:30am, 4 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Arcturus System**

 

Shepard strode up the stairs, still marvelling at the Normandy’s sleek interior. The ship was unlike any other she’d served on, both Human and Turian influences throughout its entire design. The pilot’s voice came over the intercom, “The Arcturus Prime relay is in range. Initiating transmission sequence.”

Each crew member she passed greeted her, a simple “Commander” or a nod as she went through to the cockpit. She only recognised a few of them, but apparently, they all knew her. If not personally, at least by reputation. She stopped in her stride just outside the cockpit, the sight of the Turian looming within stalling her progress. She hung back slightly behind him, not wanting to make a bad first impression on the man whose presence was still unclear.

“We are connected. Calculating transit mass and destination. The relay is hot. Acquiring approach vector. All stations secure for transit.” The Mass Relay came into view through the front windows of the Normandy, the ship sweeping through space to line up the perfect jump. “The board is green. Approach run has begun. Hitting the relay in 3… 2… 1…”

Shepard braced herself, the ship surrounded by the Mass Effect field produced by its drive core and connected to by the Relay. The glow from the Relay become more intense the closer they got. All at once, the field of stars in front of them became lines of blue light flashing past the window as they shot through the corridor of massless space.

“Thrusters, check. Navigation, check. Internal emissions sink engaged. All systems online. Drift… just under 1500 K.” Shepard almost laughed at Joker’s confident tone. She’d met him a few months prior to this mission and become fast friends. When she’d heard he was the pilot of the Normandy, Shepard had wanted to take the ship straight into a firefight. Watching Joker pilot was an absolute pleasure in her eyes, easily the best pilot she’d ever seen.

Nihlus’ gravelly voice noted Joker’s expertise, “1500 is good. Your captain will be pleased.” He turned on his heel, not even seeming to notice Shepard as he left the cockpit.

Joker looked across at Kaidan Alenko, Shepard’s former squad member, and rolled his eyes. “I hate that guy.”

Kaidan scoffed at the admission, “Nihlus gave you a compliment… so you hate him?”

Joker piped up just a little louder, “You remember to zip your jumpsuit on the way out of the bathroom? That’s good. I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead. That’s incredible. Besides, Spectres are trouble.” He settled back into his chair, focusing on the screens in front of him, “I don’t like having him on board. Call me paranoid.”

“You’re paranoid. The Council helped fund this project. They have a right to send someone to keep an eye on their investment.”

“Yeah, that is the official story. But only an idiot believes the official story.”

“Going to have to agree with Joker on this one.”

“Jesus!” Joker almost jumped out of his chair, “Didn’t even realise you were there Shepard.”

“Luckily your skillset doesn’t rely on awareness of your immediate surroundings then.” Shepard laughed briefly before turning more serious, “But yeah. They don’t send Spectres on shakedown runs.”

Joker narrowed his eyes at the biotic, “So there’s more going on here than the captain’s letting on.” He looked a bit closer, “You know something.”

“I have no idea what you mean.” Shepard narrowed her eyes playfully back.

Before Joker could respond, Anderson’s voice cut through the air on the ship’s comms, “Joker. Status report.”

The pilot scrambled to reply, “Just cleared the mass relay, Captain. Stealth systems engaged. Everything looks solid.”

“Good. Find a comm buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime.”

Joker made a mock salute, “Aye, aye, Captain. Better brace yourself, sir. I think Nihlus is headed your way.”

The annoyed reply came back, “He’s already here, Lieutenant. Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing.”

Joker hung his head, groaning into his hands, “That’s going to come back to bite me in the ass.” He twisted in his chair, “You get that, Commander?”

Shepard cocked an eyebrow, “He sounds angry. Something must have gone wrong with the mission.”

“Pfft. Captain always sounds like that when he’s talking to me.”

“I can’t imagine why.” Kaidan’s addition made Shepard laugh.

“It’s cause you’re an ass Joker.” Shepard called over her shoulder as she strode away from the cockpit, earning a few snickers from nearby crew members.

Shepard made her way to the opposite end of the ship, the comm room's door hissing open. She was confronted with Nihlus' back, the Turian turning to face her. “Ah, Commander. I was hoping you'd get here first. It gives us a chance to discuss a few things.”

“The Captain said he’d meet me here.”

The Spectre nodded, “He’s on his way. I’m interested in this world we’re going to – Eden Prime. I’ve heard it’s quite beautiful.”

“I wouldn’t know, sir. I’ve only seen it in vids. It is supposed to be a paradise though.”

“Yes…” The Turian paused, sizing Shepard up now that she was actually in front of him, “a paradise. Serene. Tranquil. Safe. Eden Prime has become something of a symbol for your people, hasn’t it? Proof that Humanity can not only establish colonies, but also protect them. But how safe is it, really?”

“That almost sounds like a threat.”

Nihlus continued, ignoring Shepard’s comment, “Your people are still newcomers, Shepard. The galaxy can be a very dangerous place, as your people found out when they first met mine. Is the Alliance truly ready to play a larger role in shaping the galaxy?”

Before Shepard could retort, the door hissed open and Captain Anderson entered the room. He made sure the door was locked and any ship-wide comms were deactivated before speaking, “I think it’s about time we told the Commander what’s really going on.”

The Turian nodded, “This mission is far more than a simple shakedown run.”

“I knew that already.” Shepard leant back on the railing, “A skeleton crew could achieve a shakedown, and we certainly wouldn’t need a Spectre for it.”

Anderson faced Shepard fully, “We’re making a covert pick-up on Eden Prime. That’s why we needed the stealth systems operational and it also makes the Normandy the only ship in the Alliance that could do it.”

“Why all the secrecy? As far as I know, Eden Prime is just your run of the mill colony. Nothing particularly special about it.”

“That was true until a few days ago. This comes down from the top, Commander. Information strictly on a need-to-know basis.” Anderson breathed in, preparing to reveal to Shepard why they needed her, “A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of beacon during an excavation. It was Prothean.”

Shepard raised her eyebrows, “Prothean? I thought they vanished 50,000 years ago.”

Nihlus spoke up, “They did, but their legacy still remains. The Mass Relays, the Citadel, our ship drives – hell, more than half our technology is based on the Prothean’s.”

Anderson’s voice became far graver, “This is big, Shepard. The last time humanity made a discovery like this, it jumped our technology forward two hundred years. But Eden Prime doesn’t have the facilities to handle something like this. If anyone gets wind of this, there will be fleets swarming the planet trying to get their hands on it. We need to get in quietly and bring the beacon back to the Citadel for proper study.”

“Obviously, this goes beyond mere Human interests, Commander. This discovery could affect every species in Council space.”

Shepard almost didn’t speak her next words, fearful it would offend the Spectre, “Why tell the Council at all? Why not keep the beacon for ourselves?”

Nihlus didn’t seem to mind her candour, “You Humans don’t have the best reputation. Some species see you as selfish. Too unpredictable. Too independent. Even dangerous.”

Anderson continued, “Sharing that beacon will improve relations with the Council. Plus, we need their scientific expertise. They know more about the Protheans than we do.”

“The beacon’s not the only reason I’m here, Shepard. There is one other, more pressing to yourself personally, reason.” Nihlus’ admission confused Shepard.

“Nihlus wants to see you in action, Commander. He’s here to evaluate you.”

Shepard voiced her concern, “What for exactly? It’s not like I can join the Turian military.” She turned to face Anderson, “What’s going on, Captain?”

Anderson stood tall, hands clasped behind his back, “The Alliance has been pushing for this for a long time. Humanity wants a larger role in shaping interstellar policy. We want more say with the Citadel Council. The Spectres represent the Council’s power and authority. If they accept a human into their ranks, it shows how far the Alliance has come.”

Before Shepard could fully process her superior’s words, Nihlus spoke, “Your actions on Elysium were extremely impressive Commander. There are very few people who would put their lives on the line for not only a colony, but tell their entire squad to leave so that they might live. I’ve spoken to Captain Anderson about that day. He said you disobeyed his orders in order to ensure your entire squad survived, even if you didn’t. It’s exactly what the Spectres are about, putting the needs of the galaxy above everything else, even our own lives. It’s also exactly why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres.”

Shepard tried to choose her next words carefully, “You put my name forward? Why would a Turian want a Human in the Spectres? Our races haven’t exactly had the greatest relationship.”

Nihlus nodded, “That is true Commander. However, not all Turians resent humanity. Some of us see the potential of your species. We see what you have to offer to the rest of the galaxy… and to the Spectres. We are an elite group. It’s rare to find an individual with the skills we seek. I frankly couldn’t care less that you’re human, Shepard. I only care that you can do the job. And if your file is anything to go by, you can.”

The biotic breathed in, straightening her posture up, “If it’ll help the Alliance, then I’m in.”

“Earth needs this, Shepard. We’re counting on you.” Anderson’s word slightly deflated Shepard’s confidence.

The Turian crossed his arms, “I need to see your skills for myself, Commander. Eden Prime will be the first of several missions together.”

Anderson spoke directly to Shepard, “You’ll be in charge of the ground team. Secure the beacon and get it on the ship ASAP. Nihlus will accompany you to observe the mission.”

“Yes sir.” Shepard saluted and immediately activated her suit comms, “Alenko, Jenkins. Suit up. I want you in the cargo bay ready to go the moment the planet is in sight.”

Simultaneous “Yes, Commander” echoed in her ears.

Anderson looked at the screen with a few details about Eden Prime, “We should be getting close to Eden-”

Joker’s voice over the ship’s speakers interrupted Anderson, “Captain! We’ve got a problem!”

Anderson sighed, “What’s wrong, Joker?”

“Transmission just came in from Eden Prime, sir. You better see it.”

“Bring it up on the screen.”

The screen in the comm room flashed with a grainy video, Shepard guessed from an emergency distress beacon. They saw multiple Alliance soldiers back past it, firing at an unseen enemy. One soldier in particular seemed to be leading them, a young woman. “GET DOWN!” An explosion threw both soldier and camera away. The emergency beacon showed a brief flash of an enormous starship on the surface of the planet. Shepard couldn’t figure out how a ship that size could possibly land on a planet. It didn’t fit the make of any starship she knew of. it was completely alien. The soldier came back into view, gripping either side of the beacon’s lens, “We are under attack! Taking heavy casualties. I repeat: heavy casualties. We can’t… argh!” An attack from the enemy almost threw her off her feet again as it collided with her shield, “-need evac! They came out of nowhere! We need-” Another attack tore the beacon from her hands, sending it flying away. There was a few more seconds of footage before the beacon was destroyed.

Joker’s voice came back over the speakers, “Everything cuts out after that. No comm traffic at all. Just goes dead. There’s nothing.”

Anderson immediately spoke up, “Reverse and hold at 38.5.” The video flashed back to the ship, dwarfing the colony below it. “Status report. How far out are we?”

“Seventeen minutes out, Captain. No other Alliance ships in the area.”

“Take us in Joker. Fast and quiet. This mission just got a lot more complicated.”

Nihlus was the first to spring into action, “A small strike team can move quickly without drawing attention. It’s our best chance to secure the beacon.”

Shepard remained staring at the screen for a few moments longer before following Anderson and Nihlus to the cargo bay. She took each of the weapons from her assigned locker, carefully checking their mechanisms before attaching them to her back. She felt the Normandy drop out of FTL travel, the humming from the engine room decreasing significantly.

“Engaging stealth systems.” There was a slight whirring sound as the ship adjusted to hide its heat emissions. “Somebody was doing some serious digging here, Captain. The surface is all torn up around the colony.”

Shepard assembled her squad in front of Anderson. She would have preferred a larger team, but the rest of the crew of the Normandy were not combat ready.

The Captain began his brief, “Your team’s the muscle in this operation, Commander. Go in heavy and head straight for the dig site.”

“What about survivors, Captain?” Kaidan asked the question before Shepard could.

“Helping survivors is a secondary objective. The beacon’s your top priority.” Shepard grit her teeth at the answer. She’d been given that exact command in previous missions and it had never sat well with her. She’d occasionally gone out of her way to accomplish the mission and save as many people as she could. Some of her superiors didn’t like it, but she’d done what they’d ordered, so there wasn’t much they could say against her.

Joker’s voice came through, “Approaching drop point one.”

The ever-optimistic Corporal Jenkins spoke up, “Nihlus, you’re coming with us?”

“I move faster on my own,” was the Turian’s only reply. The moment the cargo bay door had opened enough, Nihlus leapt out, not even bothering to wait till the ship was low enough for a safe jump. Joker immediately pulled up, moving the Normandy to its next drop point.

“Nihlus will scout out ahead. He’ll feed you status reports throughout the mission; otherwise, I want radio silence.”

Shepard understood the stakes of this mission for both herself and Humanity. “We’ve got his back Captain.”

“The mission’s yours now, Shepard. Good luck.”

Joker’s voice came through one last time, “We are approaching drop point two.”

Shepard and her squad strode forward as the cargo bay door opened. They waited till it was safe and jumped out, landing heavily on the ground. All three soldiers pulled out their assault rifles, noting the thick black smoke emanating from the landscape in front of them.

“Keep it tight, let’s move.” The Normandy had dropped them in a small field some ways away from the colony. Just over a few hills the tops of the colony’s buildings were visible, some with raging fires consuming them. Shepard ordered the other two soldiers to move up, taking up the rear and watching their six.

Nihlus’ voice came crackling over their radios, accompanied by the sound of gunfire, “This place got hit hard, Commander. Hostiles everywhere. Keep your guard up.”

“Copy that.”

The closer they got to the colony, the more obvious that it had been attacked by overwhelming force. There were utterly burned corpses littered across the ground, mowed down trying to escape whatever had attacked them. “Oh god. What happened here?” Jenkin’s voice came out stuttering. Shepard knew this was likely the first real mission he’d been on. He would have to get used to things like this.

“Smells like smoke and death.” Kaidan’s world-weary tone indicated the exact opposite. Just like Shepard, he’d seen too much of it. Elysium alone had been too much. They’d saved more than 90 percent of the colony, but those they hadn’t had been dead before they’d even withdrawn into the colony. The pirate’s bombardment of the settlement had ensured that.

Jenkins led the squad around a corner in the path. “COMMAN-”

Before Shepard could react, the enemy attacked, charged-projectiles shredding through Jenkins’ shields and armour before sending him crashing to the ground. Shepard produced a strong biotic barrier and ran for cover across the open space. Kaidan stayed where he was, hiding himself from the attack behind a large rock. The moment the attack stopped, they both sprang into action, rising above their cover and firing. Their enemies were several high-tech drones, each armed with a small cannon on their undercarriage. Shepard took out several of them with well-placed bullets, leaving the rest for Kaidan to deal with.

The last drone exploded and fell to the ground in a burning heap. Shepard stowed her assault rifle and immediately made it over to Jenkins’ lifeless body. Kaidan kneeled next to it, closing the young man’s eyes. “Ripped right through his shields. Never had a chance.”

Shepard switched into the emotionless Commander mode she’d created for herself to deal with these situations, “We’ll see that he receives a proper service once the mission is complete. But I need you to stay focused.”

Kaidan had known Shepard long enough to not take offense at her words. He knew she felt the exact same way he did, distraught they’d lost a squad member so suddenly. But she was right, the mission had to take priority, no matter how they might feel about it. “Aye, aye, ma’am.”

Shepard radioed it in, “Captain… Corporal Jenkins is down. Nothing we could do. I’m sending you the coordinates for his body.”

There was a pause at the other end of the line, “Understood Commander. Proceed with the mission.”

Shepard and Kaidan continued along the path, leaving Jenkins’ body behind. The closer they got to the colony, the more bodies they came across. A few drones crossed their path, quickly dealt with by the two biotics.

Nihlus’ voice came over their comms, “I’ve got some burned our buildings, Shepard. A lot of bodies. I’m going to check it out. I’ll try to catch up with you at the dig site.”

“Copy that.” Soon, they began to hear the sounds of fighting, gunfire along with the noise of the enemy’s charged weaponry. Shepard and Kaidan hurried forward, preparing to fight.

They came across a small clearing, an Alliance soldier running across it, firing behind her back. She leapt behind a rock just as the enemy force fired a barrage into where she’d been. This was the first of the true enemy Shepard had seen. She was confused as to what she was seeing. The drones could be explained as mechanical warfare, but these were humanoid-shaped soldiers, holding similar weapons as to what was attached to the drones. But they weren’t Human. They were synthetic. Shepard charged forward, yelling a battle cry to draw their attention. She stowed her assault rifle and drew her shotgun, producing a barrier just in time to absorb the enemy’s fire. She continued to run and came within melee distance, releasing the barrier and firing her weapon at point blank range. The first enemy was shredded to pieces immediately, the rest reacting instantaneously to combat the new threat.

Shepard surrounded herself with a barrier, stowing her shotgun and creating a Singularity with her free hand. The moment it was ready, she freed the ball of dark energy, perfectly aiming it to lift every synthetic soldier. They flailed helplessly in the air, the force of the Singularity ripping their weapons from their hands. Shepard drew her pistol, taking several out with well-placed shots while Kaidan took down the remaining ones.

The biotic noted the metal spikes strewn about the area, what looked like colonists impaled on them. Some still had blood slowly running down the structure. What purpose could these possibly serve? Some sort of torture device? It didn’t make any sense. What use could this enemy have for torture? She doubted any of these colonists would last long under standard torture measures. The spikes just seemed excessive.

Shepard and Kaidan made their way over to the Alliance soldier, who quickly scrambled to her feet and saluted Shepard. The Commander recognised her from the footage of the distress beacon. “Thanks for your help, Commander. I didn’t think I was going to make it. Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212. You the one in charge here, ma’am?”

Shepard nodded, “Any injuries, Williams? Can you still fight?”

Ashley hastily answered, “A few scrapes and burns. Nothing serious. I can keep going. The others weren’t so lucky. Oh man… we were patrolling the perimeter when the attack hit. We tried to get off a distress call, but they cut off our communications. I’ve been fighting for my life ever since.”

“You got off enough of a message. Our ship got it. What happened to the rest of the 212 Chief?”

Ashley swallowed, her face going pale, “We tried to double back to the beacon. But we walked into an ambush. I don’t think any of the others… I think I’m the only one left.”

Shepard placed her hand on the younger woman’s shoulder, “This isn’t your fault, Williams. You couldn’t have done anything to save them.”

Ashley seemed to appreciate the gesture, some colour coming back to her cheeks, “Yes, ma’am. We held our position as long as we could. Until the Geth overwhelmed us.”

Shepard’s eyes widened, “Wait, what? These things are Geth?”

Kaidan was just as amazed, “The Geth haven’t been seen outside the Veil in nearly 300 years. Why are they here now? What could they want?”

“They must have come for the beacon.” Ashley sighed, “The damn thing’s been trouble since they dug it up. The dig site is close. Just over that rise.” She pointed in the direction she’d come from, “It might still be there.”

Quickly getting over the shock of the revelation, Shepard drew her assault rifle, “We could use your help, Williams. We’re here for that beacon.”

“Aye, aye, ma’am. It’s time for payback.”

As they made their way towards the dig site, Shepard continued to ask questions of her new squad mate, “Anything you can tell us about the beacon?”

Ashley moved to walk next to Shepard, keeping her gun up, “They were doing some digging out here to extend the monorail and expand the colony. A few weeks ago, they unearthed some Prothean ruins… and the beacon.” She shuddered, an involuntary reaction at the memory, “Thing gave me the creeps. Suddenly, every scientific expert in the colony was interested. That’s when they brought us in to secure the site. I don’t know much about the beacon itself. But I heard one of the researchers say this could be the biggest scientific discovery of the century.”

They took out a few Geth they stumbled across, Shepard still talking while firing her weapon with expert marksmanship, “What about the attack? How did the Geth get the drop on you?”

“We were sent out a couple nights ago from the main colony to secure the area. Seemed like a routine patrol until the Geth hit us. We never knew they were coming. Damn synthetics were silent.”

“And the researchers at the dig site? Any chance they’re still alive?”

“I don’t know. They set up camp near the beacon. If that’s what the Geth are here for, I don’t like their chances. But… the 232 was with them. Maybe their unit fared better than mine.”

Shepard pulled out her sniper rifle, blasting the central light off a Geth’s head in the distance. “You wouldn’t have happened to see a Turian Spectre around here have you Williams?”

Ashley’s narrowed her eyes with equal parts suspicion and confusion, “There aren’t any Turians on Eden Prime. None that I’ve ever met. Not sure I’d be able to tell if one was a Spectre anyway.”

Kaidan chuckled, “If you saw this guy, you’d know. Carries enough firepower to wipe out a whole platoon. Luckily, he’s on our side.”

“Sorry. Like I said, no Turians.” Shepard recognised the tone in Ashley’s voice. That slight superiority that so many Humans unfortunately had when talking about other species in the galactic community. Shepard made a mental note of it, hoping Ashley wasn’t one of the Alliance soldiers who had only joined so they could prove Humanity was the best, rather than actually help the galaxy and Humanity along with it.

“Let’s keep moving.” Shepard gave the order, the three of them moving through a small valley, hills rising either side of them.

“The beacon’s at the far end of this trench.”

Kaidan inspected one of the spikes as they passed, “Eden Prime will never be the same again. That man was still alive when they stuck him on it.”

Ashley’s voice turned angry, obviously enraged and traumatised by the events she’d witnessed, “Killing us isn’t enough. The Geth want us to suffer. Impaling victims instead of just shooting them… there must be some reason behind it.”

“Classic psychological warfare. They’re using terror as a weapon.” Kaidan’s tone spoke of experience with this sort of tactic. Shepard couldn’t remember any specific instance of this style on any missions they’d gone on together. She herself had seen some, but had managed to get through it and accomplish the mission.

The Alliance soldiers exited the trench, coming to concentric stone circles, several blocks of stone arrayed in a seemingly random pattern. Other than the stone, the place was utterly bare. Dig marks marred the walls. “This is the dig site.” Ashley paused, staring at the centre of it. “The beacon was right here. It must have been moved.”

Shepard groaned. She’d hoped they wouldn’t have to go searching for the Prothean artifact, but that just wasn’t meant to be.

“By who? Our side? Or the Geth?” Kaidan voiced Shepard’s thoughts.

“Hard to say. Maybe we’ll know more after we check out the research camp.”

“With what we’ve seen, do you really think there’ll be anyone still alive?” Shepard’s comment came out far more pessimistic than she had intended, a flash of sadness across Ashley’s face the unintended consequence.

“If they were lucky. Maybe hiding up in the camp. It’s just up there. They could’ve locked themselves in one of the research labs? Kept quiet and avoided the Geth?” Ashley’s voice betrayed the hopefulness that someone was still alive but also the realisation that it was highly unlikely.

The Turian Spectre’s voice suddenly invaded Shepard’s ears, “Change of plans, Shepard. There’s a small spaceport up ahead. I want to check it out. I’ll wait for you there.”

Shepard gave the confirmation to his message as they moved off, climbing up the ramps leading to the small outcropping of research labs. The labs were in a small area, closely packed together. More of the metallic spikes were spread around, the colonists impaled on them long dead. These ones had been on them longer, judging by the dried blood surrounding their wounds. They had odd markings on their skin, as though the Geth had carved channels deep into their flesh.

Kaidan swept his rifle around the area, “Something doesn’t feel right. This would be perfect for an ambush, and yet… nothing.” The three soldiers turned at a sound as one of the spikes began to descend into its base. Before their eyes, the colonist transformed, the ruins of their flesh glowing blue as their skin turned grey. The impaled colonists stood back on their feet, turning to face Shepard’s squad and screeching at an inhuman-pitch. “Oh, god! They’re still alive!”

The dead colonists sprinted at the trio, quickly peppered full of bullets. The bullets only slowed them down unless their head was destroyed or their body sufficiently damaged. One made it all the way to Shepard, grasping at her armour with clawed hands. It managed to knock the assault rifle from her hands, trying to slash at her exposed face. Shepard bellowed her defiance, smacking its arms away and grabbing the thing by the throat, lifting it clean into the air before slamming it into the ground. She brought her foot down on its head with all the biotic strength she could muster, another yell ripping from her. The cranium of the dead colonist exploded beneath her boot, but rather than blood or at least some sort of brain matter, an odd blue liquid came spurting out. Shepard shook her boot out, trying to clear as much as it off as she could.

The last of their attackers fell, all of them leaking the same blue liquid. Shepard retrieved her rifle, stowing it on her back and kneeling next to one of the corpses. “They’re just husks. It’s like there’s nothing left of the person.” She shifted one of their arms, exposing a wound that led to what seemed to be wiring. “Wait, do theses spikes remove the organic parts and replace them with synthetic? What use would the Geth have for that? I get they’d be a great psychological weapon, but they didn’t take much to take down. Not particularly effective as shock troops or anything. A distraction maybe?” She searched around, but found no Geth troops waiting to take them on.

Ashley stayed away from the corpses, “Whatever the reason, it must take a few hours for the spikes to turn people into these… husks. Probably why the ones we saw before didn’t attack us… yet.”

Kaidan joined Shepard, “At least we know what they’re for now; turning our own dead against us. We should probably destroy any we find later if they haven’t yet got a colonist on them.”

Shepard rose up, “Agreed. Now, let’s check out these labs, see if we can find any survivors.”

The first few small buildings they went through were empty, possessions and equipment scattered everywhere. Either the scientists had left in a hurry, or they’d been attacked before they could, desperately fighting with their more than likely lack of combat training. Small splotches of blood stained the floor, Shepard confirming her second assumption as the correct one. Luckily for them, the Geth were efficient killers, so there was no severely injured Humans who’d had to die from just blood loss. The bodies had most likely been dragged away to put on the spikes.

While Shepard searched a small data console, Ashley’s voice rang from outside, “Commander! You might want to take a look at this.” Shepard exited the building, coming to see what Ashley meant. “This one. The door’s closed and the security lock’s engaged.”

Shepard pulled up her omni tool, accessing the door’s computerised locking mechanism, “And hopefully, that means survivors. Maybe they can tell us more about the attack.” She struggled for a few moments while hacking the door open. Hacking had never been her strong suit. The part of her N7 training that had covered it was in Shepard’s mind the hardest part. It had taken her the longest to get through, but she’d done it. The biotic was likely better than most other soldiers, but a few engineers she knew would hack around her in seconds.

One last swipe and the door opened, a shocked yelp from inside. Shepard drew her pistol, already aimed at the head of the speaker. “Wait! We’re Human! Don’t shoot!”

Shepard lowered her pistol, quickly scanning the room. There was a man and a woman, the woman the one who had spoken. The man was curled up in the corner, covering his head as though she was going to attack them at a moment’s notice. “Hurry! Close the door! Before they come back!” The man’s paranoia was obvious, the small glimpse that Shepard got of his eyes showing the deeply disturbing sights he had likely witnessed at the hands of the Geth.

“Relax, you’re safe. We’ll protect you from anything that comes for you.” Shepard did her best to sound as comforting as possible. She had seen soldiers in this sort of state before, incapable of dealing with their experiences. She hadn’t lost anyone in her squad who had fallen victim to this particular state, and she wasn’t about to start now.

“Thank you. I think we’ll be okay now.” The woman seemed far more together than the man curled up in the corner. She poked her head around the door frame, “It looks like everyone’s gone.” Shepard didn’t want to break it to her that everyone else in the colony was likely dead.

Ashley recognised the woman, “You’re Dr Warren, the one in charge of the excavation. Do you know what happened to the beacon?”

Dr Warren swallowed, glancing around, afraid to give the answer Shepard was dreading, “It was moved to the spaceport this morning. We got word the Alliance was sending a ship to pick it up.”

“That would be us.” Shepard pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to plan around the new mission parameters.

The Doctor nodded, “Manuel and I stayed behind to help pack up the camp. When the attack came, the marines held them off long enough for us to hide. They gave their lives to save us.”

Manuel broke his silence, shouting over their conversation, “No one is saved! The age of Humanity is ended! Soon, only ruin and corpses will remain!”

Shepard did her best to ignore the man’s ravings, focusing her questions on the saner of the two scientists, “Can you tell me anything else about the attack? Numbers, anyone with the Geth?”

“It all happened so fast.” The Doctor’s expression changed, avoiding Shepard’s gaze and staring at the floor, “One second we were gathering up our equipment. The next we were hiding in here while the Geth swarmed over the camp.”

“AGENTS OF THE DESTROYERS! BRINGERS OF DARKNESS! HERALDS OF OUR EXTINCTION!”

Dr Warren continued over Manuel’s ramblings, “We could hear the battle outside. Gunfire. Screams. I thought it would never end. Then, everything went quiet. We just sat here, too afraid to move. Until you came along.”

“Did you notice a Turian in the area?”

Manuel piped up, leaping to his feet and running till he was barely a few inches from Shepard, “I SAW HIM! The prophet! Leader of the enemy! He was here, before the attack.”

Kaidan’s raised his eyebrows, “That’s impossible. Nihlus was with us on the Normandy before the attack. He couldn’t have been here.”

Dr Warren led Manuel to a chair at the side of the room, trying to sooth his nervous twitching, “I’m sorry. Manuel’s a bit… unsettled. We haven’t seen your Turian. We’ve been hiding in here since the attack.”

“Didn’t think you would’ve seen him, just had to make sure. What about the beacon? Any reason you can think of the Geth would want to steal it?”

“It’s some type of data module from a galaxy-wide communications network. Remarkably well-preserved. It could be the greatest scientific discovery of our lifetime! On-par with the Prothean archives on Mars. Miraculous new technologies. Ground-breaking medical advances. Who knows what secrets are locked inside?”

Manuel pulled his knees in close to his chest, rocking back and forth in the chair, “We have unearthed the heart of evil.” He seemed to be talking to himself more than any of the other people in the room, “Awakened the beast. Unleashed the darkness.”

“Manuel! Please! This isn’t the time.” Dr Warren was doing her best to calm him down, but it was having little effect. If anything, the man’s ravings were getting worse, more intrusive in the small space.

“What happened to him?” Shepard regretted asking the question, Dr Warren’s expression darkening.

“Manuel has a brilliant mind, but he’s always been a bit… unstable. Genius and madness are two sides of the same coin.”

“Is it madness to see the future? To see the destruction rushing towards us? To understand there is no escape? No hope? No, I am not mad. I’m the only sane one left!”

Dr Warren sighed, “I gave him an extra dose of his meds after the attack, but I don’t think they’ve helped much.”

Shepard popped open a small canister on the belt of her armour, pulling out a small vial, “Here. It’s anaesthetic. We use it to dull pain from injuries, but there’s enough there to put him to sleep for a few hours.”

Dr Warren took the vial with some hesitation, unsure if she should be giving Manuel even more drugs. “You can’t stop it! Nobody can stop it! Night is falling. The darkness of eternity!”

“Hush, Manuel. Lie down right here.” The Doctor lowered Manuel to the floor, injecting the unstable man, the anaesthetic sending him to asleep in a few minutes. “Thank you.”

“We’ll let our ship know where you are and they’ll send someone to get you.” Shepard fired off the message on her omni-tool. “Until then, stay in here and I’ll lock the door on my way out.”

Dr Warren nodded. “Stay safe, Commander.”

Shepard smiled, “I’ll do my best.” She did as she had said, leaving the lab and re-locking the door on their way out. “Williams, take us to the spaceport.”

 

* * *

 

**Monday, 11:40am, 4 th of January 2183**

**Spaceport, Eden Prime**

 

Nihlus snuck through the spaceport, keeping low to the ground and watching his surroundings for any Geth. He looked down a long walkway, spying another Turian. The sight greatly confused him. Why would another Turian be here? As far as Nihlus knew, this was an entirely Human colony. There shouldn’t be any Turians here. He crept closer, keeping his rifle trained on the back of the other’s head. He got within a few metres, scoping in to fire without a moment’s hesitation.

Nihlus faltered as the Turian turned to face him. “Saren?”

The other Turian clicked his mandibles in greeting, “Nihlus.”

“What are you doing here? This isn’t your mission.”

“Come now,” Saren walked forward, gripping Nihlus’ shoulder, “Is that anyway to greet your old mentor? At any rate, the Council thought you could use some help on this one.”

Nihlus lowered his guard, stowing his rifle on his back and striding away from Saren, his back turned to the older Turian. “Maybe I do. I wasn’t expecting to find the Geth here. The situation’s worse than we thought. The Council needs to know the Geth have come from behind the Veil, but… why now though? 300 years with not a single blip on the radar, then a Human colony is swarming with the damn things!”

Saren pulled the pistol from his side, the weapon unfolding in complete silence, “You can stop worrying now, Nihlus.” He levelled it with the back of Nihlus’ head, carefully aiming exactly where he needed to, “I’ve got it all under control.”

The pistol fired, ending Nihlus’ life in an instant. The Turian Spectre collapsed, the back of his head with a small entrance wound, while his face had been torn apart by the bullet. Blue blood splattered onto the crates in front of where Nihlus had been standing, more of it pooling around the Turian’s corpse.

Saren holstered his pistol, marching quickly away from the scene of his heinous crime. Nihlus had trusted him, let his guard down, and he had paid for his mistake.

 

* * *

 

**Monday, 11:35am, 4 th of January 2183**

**Spaceport, Eden Prime**

 

Shepard Pulled one of the last Geth toward her, relaxing the biotics as the synthetic got within range. With a true display of biotic mastery, she punched forward, her fist going clean through the machine’s chest and out the other side. The pistol in her other hand swept up, firing straight into the thing’s head from underneath and blasting it into a mess of wiring and machine fluid.

Ashley and Kaidan finished off the last two. They’d been moving through the colony as fast as they could, the spaceport their goal. They’d finally arrived, finding it deserted of any organic life, but still teeming with Geth. They had seen no trace of the other Turian Manuel had mentioned. Shepard was starting to think he hadn’t actually seen anything, and the Turian had just been a projection of an unwell mind.

Shepard shook the Geth off her arm, wiping the equivalent of it’s blood from her arm when Kaidan called out to her, “Uh… Commander. You might want to look up.”

She followed the other biotic’s line of sight to the clouds, a huge ship dominating the sky and blocking out half the star that Eden Prime orbited around. It was the same ship she’d seen in Ashley’s distress call. Seeing it on a screen did not prepare her for the vessel in real life. The ship was massive, bigger than any dreadnought she’d ever seen. Even the Turian armada didn’t have a ship that big.

Ashley clearly hadn’t seen the ship when she’d sent the distress call, the shock evident in her voice, “It’s a ship… look at the size of it!” What amazed Shepard far more than the size of the ship was that it could even get into the atmosphere of a planet. No dreadnought in the Alliance Navy, or any species’ navies, had enough of an Eezo core to even attempt such a risky manoeuvre. They would fall to the ground under their own weight, crushing anything they happened to land on.

“We don’t have time to stare at the ship all day. Let’s get moving.” Shepard didn’t give them a chance to respond, moving off and making her way deeper into the spaceport.

They continued to destroy every Geth they came across, often being fired on before they’d even noticed the synthetics. Shepard was glad for a lesson that had been drilled into her by the Asari commandos she’d trained under. She could still hear them now, “ _I don’t care if you’re tired to the point you can barely move. I don’t care if your bones are broken. I don’t even care if you’ve got a hole in your gut the size of your head. Keep. Your. Barrier. Up._ ” That single lesson had saved her life more times than she could count. The shields in her suit were impressive, but they did have a tendency to fail just when she needed them most. Her barrier had become like a second skin, constantly there when she was on a mission. Shepard barely even needed to concentrate to keep it up now, the effort only a slight drain on her stamina.

Shepard held up her fist, telling the squad to halt. She unholstered her sniper, noting the location of several Geth. They were clustered around a small shack, attempting to open the door from the outside. From what she could see, it had been locked from the inside, perhaps with Human survivors inside. Shepard motioned for Ashley and Kaidan, pointing out the targets she wanted them to hit. Each pulled their own snipers out, scoping down at the synthetics.

Shepard breathed in, slowing her heart rate as best she could. All three would have to take out Geth with a single shot if they hoped to save whoever may be hiding in the shack. “Now.” The snipers fired, blasting apart three Geth and sending them tumbling to the ground. They all fired again, taking out another three. Only one remained, the last Geth spotting them where they lay on the ground. It fired, attempting to lay down suppressive fire, perhaps to give it a chance to call for reinforcements. Shepard produced a large barrier, the attack deflecting harmlessly. All three Alliance soldiers fired at once, the Geth exploding in a shower of sparks.

They jogged down the hill, snipers back on their backs and assault rifles filling their hands. “Cover me.” Shepard ran to the door, pulling up her omni tool and beginning the hack. A sound made her look up. She watched in shock as the ship above them descended even further into the atmosphere, red bolts of electricity streaming off it as its Eezo core worked overtime to keep it from falling. She returned her attention to the door, unlocking it quickly.

The door hissed open, revealing an empty room. Shepard sighed, deflated they hadn’t managed to find more survivors. “Everybody stay calm out there.” A man’s voice. Shepard drew her pistol, aiming further into the room as three people, two men and a woman, popped up from behind some storage crates, “We’re unarmed.” Shepard lowered her weapon.

“Is it safe? Are they gone?” The woman’s voice was full of fear, a wide-eyed look of terror etched into her face.

“You’re all safe now. We’ve cleared out all hostiles.” Shepard didn’t think it was necessary to tell these unfortunate people they had nearly been killed by Geth of all things.

The first man spoke up again, “Those things were crawling all around the shed. They almost got through the door. When we heard gunfire, we were sure it was all over. We owe you our lives. I’m Cole by the way.”

The other man, almost hiding behind Cole, stammered, “I-I-I still can’t believe it. When we saw that ship, I thought it was all over.”

Cole rubbed at his eyes, “It showed up right before the attack. Knew it was trouble the second I saw it. So, we made a break for the sheds.”

“Anything you can tell me about the attack? We’ve only found a few other survivors and looks like they were far away from the initial strike.”

“We were working the crops when that ship showed up.” Cole’s face drained of colour as the memory came back to him, “We just saw it and ran. I don’t know what happened to anyone else.”

“They were by the garage.” The second man looked even more afraid than Cole, staring at the floor as his hands fidgeted with the edge of his shirt, “Over near the spaceport. Right where that ship came down. No way they survived.”

The woman almost yelled out, “You don’t know that! We survived. They could’ve made it to the garage and locked themselves in, just like we did. They could’ve had a fighting chance!”

Shepard almost asked them about the beacon, but decided they probably wouldn’t know anything if they were just the colony’s farmers, “What about the ship you saw? Anything particularly strange about it, besides the size of it?”

Cole shook his head, “I was too busy running to get a clear look at it. I think it landed near the spaceport.”

The woman behind Cole prodded his side, “Tell them about the noise, Cole. That awful noise.” All three farmers shuddered involuntarily at the mention of it.

Cole swallowed, disturbed by whatever they’d heard, “It was emitting some kind of signal when it came to the ground. Sounded like the shriek of the damned. Only it was coming from inside your own head.”

Shepard tried to hide any surprise that may have popped up on her face. She had never heard of anything like what Cole was describing. She’d seen sonic weapons in action, but they were generally a targeted thing. And they didn’t sound like that, they just made your head hurt and forced you to the ground. “Most likely, the ship was trying to block any communications from the colony getting out. Lucky some got through to us.”

“Whatever it was, felt like my head was going to explode. Almost made it impossible to think.”

The Alliance soldiers pulled their weapons out, preparing to leave. “We’ve cleared out everything in that direction. You can make a break for it, or we can lock this door again and give your location to our ship. The Alliance will send someone to pick you up.”

“We’ll stay here, thank you.” Cole saluted Shepard, a very bad imitation of the sign of respect. If any of the soldiers under her command had done that, she would’ve reprimanded them for not taking chain of command seriously.

“Hey, Cole.” The woman behind him prodded him in the back, “We’re just a bunch of farmers. These guys are soldiers. Maybe we should give them the stuff.”

Cole shot an angry glance behind him, “Oh for fu… you gotta learn when to shut up.”

Shepard narrowed her eyes and stood in front of Cole, “You’ve got something you want to tell me, Cole?”

Cole sighed, seeing that he had no choice, “Some guys at the spaceport were running a small smuggling ring. Nothing major. In exchange for a cut of the profits, we let them store packages in our sheds.”

Shepard took a step closer to the farmer, looming over him. She was ever so slightly taller than the man, her armour giving her even more height, “It sounds to me like you’re breaking the law, Cole. And… I don’t like being lied to.”

Cole shrank back under the Commander’s glare, withering away from her, “We’re not hurting anybody! Hell, most of the time, I don’t even know what’s in the packages. I just thought there might be something we could use. I found a pistol. Figure it would come in handy if those things came back. But you’ll probably get more use out of it than we will.”

Shepard stared down at the offered weapon. The pistol wasn’t military grade, more useful in fighting off a mugger than the Geth they’d been fighting. She decided to go easy on the man, “Keep it. Just in case anything gets through the door.” Shepard almost started to walk away before the look of unease on Cole’s face brought her back, “We’re risking our lives to save this colony. You sure there’s nothing else in here that could help us out?”

Shepard’s stare broke through Cole’s shell, “Yeah, there’s one more thing.” He reached into a bag slung over his shoulder, handing over several grenades, “I was going to sell it after this was over. But you probably deserve it more than I do.”

The Commander hooked the explosives to her armour, beginning to march away. Ashley strode closer to the terrified man, “Who’s your contact at the spaceport, Cole? What’s his name?”

“He’s not a bad guy. I don’t want to get him in trouble. Besides, I’m not a snitch!”

Shepard rounded on the man, anger flashing across her face, “Don’t want him to get in trouble? Look around you! everybody in this entire fucking colony is in trouble! He could know something that helps us save more people. Now. Give. Me. His. Name.”

“Okay, okay! You’re right! His name’s Powell. Works at the docks at the spaceport. If he’s still alive.”

“Good. Now get inside so I can lock the door.” Cole retreated in, Shepard pulling up her omni tool and locking the door the moment he was across the threshold. She fired off the coordinates to the Normandy, pulling her rifle out once more and moving further into the spaceport.

They watched as Geth started to move away from their position, towards the ship that had landed on the other side of the colony. It confirmed Shepard’s suspicion that it was the Geth’s ship, which would explain why she had never heard of a species with such a large ship. The Geth had probably been building it for decades, perhaps even centuries considering the size. The squad shot at the retreating synthetics, taking out as many as they possibly could. They returned fire over their shoulders, missing the soldiers by a wide margin. They must have gotten what they came for and were packing up to leave. Hopefully they still had time to get to the beacon before the Geth left with it.

Shepard looked down the path they were travelling on and her blood ran cold. There was the body of a Turian, the distinct black and red armour all too familiar. Blue blood was spattered everywhere, most of his head missing. “Commander… it’s Nihlus.” Kaidan’s words fell on deaf ears as Shepard confirmed the identity of the body.

“FUCK!” Shepard’s yell startled Ashely and Kaidan, the two other Humans jumping away from her. A crash of boxes falling caused all three of them to pivot and aim their weapons at the noise.

“Something’s moving! Over behind those crates!” Ashley marched towards the source, holding her rifle steady.

A Human popped up from behind where he’d been hiding, hands vertical above his head, “WAIT! Don’t shoot! I’m one of you! I’m Human!”

Shepard sighed, “That was really dumb. Sneaking up on three armed soldiers! Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Shepard’s verbal assault hit the man hard and he stared at the ground in shame.

“I… I’m sorry. I was hiding. From those creatures. My name’s Powell. I saw what happened to that Turian if you wanted to know. The other one shot him.”

“Wait, what other one?” Had Manuel been right about another Turian being on Eden Prime? “How did Nihlus die? I need to know.”

Powell came forward a bit more, emboldened by the fact that he had information for the enraged Commander, “The other one got here first. He was just standing there looking over the spaceport when your friend showed up. Called him Saren. I think they knew each other. Your friend let his guard down, turned his back and…” Powell’s expression fell, “Saren shot him in the back of the head. I’m just glad he didn’t notice me.”

“We were told the Prothean beacon had been brought to the spaceport. Where is it? Has Saren got it?”

“It’s over on the other platform. Probably where he was headed after killing your Turian. He got on the cargo train straight after, it would’ve taken him straight to it.” Powell put his hands on his hips, cursing under his breath, “I knew that thing would be trouble. Whole colony went to shit the moment they unearthed the damn thing. First that huge ship showed up. Then the attack. Everyone dying around me. Everyone! If I hadn’t hidden behind here, I’d be dead too!”

Realisation dawned in Shepard’s mind, “Wait, you said your name was Powell? Cole mentioned you. you’re his contact on the docks. For the smuggling ring.”

Several expressions flashed across the man’s face, surprise, fear and finally denial. “What? No! I mean… yes technically…” He threw his hands up in defeat, “What does it even matter now? So, I’m a smuggler? Who cares? My supervisor’s dead. The entire crew’s dead. None of this matters anymore.”

“Anything you’ve hidden nearby? Any weapons we could use against the Geth?”

Powell thought for a moment, scratching at his head, “Some grenades came through last week. They never notice when a few things go missing off of military orders.”

Ashley began to march forward, consumed by anger that this man may have gotten some of her unit killed, “You greedy son of a bitch! We’re out here trying to protect your sorry ass and all you can think about it how you can rip us off!? I ought to put a bullet between your fucking eyes.” Shepard stuck out an arm across the Chief’s chest, stopping her in her tracks.

“I never thought you’d actually need those grenades! We’re a colony of farmers for Christ’s sake. Who’d want to attack here? How was I supposed to know fucking Geth would show up?”

Shepard grabbed Powell by the collar of his shirt, lifting him clean off the ground with a single hand, dark energy curling around her arm, “Have you ever heard of the Skyllian Blitz? You know why Elysium was attacked? For no fucking reason. And you know who was there? Me. I held off those fucking pirates. And you know what would’ve happened if some greedy little prick like you had been there? Maybe I wouldn’t have survived. Maybe your selfishness would’ve gotten me and that entire colony killed. Maybe those pirates would’ve continued their attacks and destroyed other colonies.” She tugged him closer till their noses were barely an inch apart, “A lot of marines died here, Powell. Maybe they’d be alive if you hadn’t stolen those grenades. If I were you, I’d be thinking long and hard about a way to make it up to them.”

Shepard let go, Powell collapsing to the ground in a heap. He looked despondent, the Commander’s words hitting him at his core.

“Now. Tell me about the attack.”

Powell started in earnest, trying his best not to anger the soldiers further, “It was quick. One minute, the ship appears. The next, those things were swarming everywhere, thousands of them. They must have been inside the ship.” He took a shaky breath, “They just started shooting anything that moved. Anyone close by didn’t stand a chance.”

“How are you the only one who survived? Why wouldn’t anyone else try to hide with you?”

“They… never had a chance. I… I was already behind the crates when the attack started.”

Kaidan voiced what they were all thinking, “Wait… you were already hiding before the attack?”

Powell stared sheepishly at the ground, “I sometimes need a nap to get through my shift. I sneak off behind the crates to sleep where the supervisor can’t find me.”

Ashley almost screamed at him, “You survived because you’re lazy?!”

“So, not only are you a smuggler, but you shirk responsibilities to your job too?” Shepard rolled her eyes, “You’d be dead like all the others if you hadn’t. Consider yourself lucky.”

“I guess… I…” He fell silent under their stares.

Shepard turned to Ashley and Kaidan, “We need to get to that beacon, before the Geth get away with it. We’ll take that train over.” She turned back to Powell, “I suggest you start running. I can’t say we’ve cleared out all the Geth, so you better run fast.” Powell scrambled to his feet, running as fast as his legs would carry him. “Really makes you lose faith in Humanity. Come on, let’s go.”

The train was a short way away, teeming with Geth troops. The squad dove for cover as larger Geth began to fire rockets in their direction. Shepard glanced out for just a moment, her position immediately falling under Geth fire. She sighed, pulling one of the grenades Cole had handed over out. “This’ll give us some cover. Advance once it’s gone off.”

Shepard leapt out, throwing the grenade and sprinting along the path. She ducked behind cover just as it went off, only to pop straight back out and continue her assault. Her rifle was constantly firing, taking out Geth left and right. One managed to fire a rocket, Shepard barely spinning out of the way and deflecting it with a small biotic blast. She ran forward, vaulting over the offending Geth’s cover, wrestling the rocket launcher out of its hands. She threw the Geth with biotics, slamming into some of its fellows further down. The weapon on her shoulder, Shepard sank to one knee, firing the moment she locked onto one of the larger Geth.

The synthetic exploded in a fire ball, taking out many of its allies with it. Shepard dropped the rocket launcher, pulling her pistol out and destroying the last adversaries with precision strikes. “Onto the train, now.”

The train sped down the tracks, sending them flying past a few Geth patrols on the ground below. The Alliance squad ducked to hide their identity, luckily avoiding any attacks from below. They pulled into the station at the other platform, sneaking out of it and hiding behind a stack of crates. Shepard scanned the area, the Geth even more dense here than they had been at the station.

Kaidan suddenly tapped her on the arm, pointing to the other side of the tracks, “Demolition charges! They’re trying to blow this whole place up.”

Shepard sprang into action, thinking of a plan on the fly. “Spread out and find every bomb. I am not losing that fucking beacon after all this.” She sprinted off before either of her subordinates could respond, keeping low and crossing the bridge that led to the other side of the train.

The biotic came up to a Geth from behind, using her dark energy to Pull it towards her before Throwing it at its ally. They both went down in a tangle of limbs, removing them from the fight for the moment. Shepard dodged a wild punch from another, grabbing the arm as it went past and turning it at an unnatural angle, even for the synthetic. With a display of biotic power, she ripped the arm off, using it to beat the synthetic into deactivation. She flicked the disabled Geth’s weapon up into her hands with her foot, firing into the two Geth she’d sent crashing to the ground.

Even as she came up to the bomb, Shepard already had her omni tool open, ready to disarm it. The trigger mechanism proved far easier to disable than she had thought, shutting it off in a few seconds. “Bomb is disarmed. Report.”

“Done here.”

“Disarmed Commander.”

“Any more hostiles?”

Simultaneous “No, Commander”s sounded in Shepard’s ears.

Ashley and Kaidan followed Shepard through the station, finally coming over a small bridge and finding their goal. The Prothean beacon was still here, filling their surroundings with a gentle hum. It threw off a green light, pulsing every few seconds. Shepard looked at the beacon with great interest, completely unlike anything she’d ever seen before. Her hand came to her ear, calling through to Anderson, “Normandy, the beacon is secure. Request immediate evac.”

Kaidan and Ashley walked closer to the beacon while Shepard talked to Anderson over the comms, “This is amazing. Actual working Prothean technology!”

Ashley moved even closer, a confused look creasing her face, “It wasn’t doing anything like this when they dug it up.”

“Something must have activated it.”

“Roger, Normandy. Standing by.” Shepard turned back to the beacon, watching as Ashley approached the beacon. Suddenly, the green light began to intensify, the hum becoming louder until it was the only thing any of them could hear. Ashley floated off the ground, caught in whatever field the beacon was producing. Shepard moved as fast as she could, grabbing Ashley by the waist and spinning her out of the way. Shepard took her place.

The Commander couldn’t stop the pull, the beacon lifting her several metres off the ground. The noise from the beacon felt like it would make her head explode, pounding in both her ears. All at once, her vision vanished, a void of nothingness filling her perception. Images flashed over her eyes, too fast and confused to understand. A roaring sound filled her ears, alien jaws opening in her mind’s eye. Her entire body began to convulse, any control of her muscles completely stripped away.

“SHEPARD!” Ashley made to grab onto her floating superior.

Kaidan grabbed her from behind, dragging her backwards, “No! Don’t touch her! We don’t need you caught as well!”

They watched in horror as dark energy began to coil around Shepard’s body. Her biotics flared up erratically, throwing out waves of force in random directions. One blast hit both soldiers, sending them flying through the air and crashing into the wall. Shepard gave one last convulsion, the light suddenly going out on the beacon. As Shepard began to fall, the glow returned, brightening until the beacon exploded, sending Shepard tumbling through the air. She hit the ground hard, sliding to a stop.

Kaidan was at her side in seconds, turning her over trying to get a response, “Shepard! Come on, wake up! Normandy, we need immediate medical evac. Shepard is down. I repeat, Commander Shepard is down.” Shepard’s eyes rolled into the back of her head, her body still twitching every few seconds.

Above them, the giant Geth ship took off, accelerating out of the atmosphere and away from Eden Prime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	3. Proving Treason Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait on this chapter. Things got a bit hectic around me, but I finished it! Yay!

**Wednesday, 11:00pm, 6 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Utopia System**

 

The first sensation that came back was the pain. Her head, feeling like it was going to split apart from the inside out. The vision she’d been given still played behind her eyes, slowly fading as consciousness came back to her.

Shepard sat up in Normandy’s medbay, clutching at her head with both hands. She groaned at the pain, bringing the attention of the others standing around the room.

“Commander, please lie back down.” Shepard felt the hand of Doctor Chakwas, pushing her back into the bed. “Don’t make me strap you in.”

Shepard blinked several times looking at the Doctor, confusion etched into her face. Kaidan and Ashley stood on the other side, looking concerned at the freshly awake Commander, “My head feels like it’s going to explode. What happened?”

Kaidan answered for them, “Well, when we found the beacon, it’d been activated somehow. You got near it and it pulled you into the air. To be honest, I thought it was going to kill you.”

Ashley sighed, “It’s my fault. I must have triggered some kind of security field when I approached it. You had to push me out of the way.”

“You had no way of knowing anything was going to happen, Ashley. It’s not your fault.” Shepard turned to the doctor, “How long was I out?”

“A bit over two days.” Shepard’s was completely shocked by the Doctor’s admission. She’d been knocked out for two days by the explosion. “But I don’t know if we can say for certain just getting close to the beacon is what set it off. Unfortunately, we’ll never get the chance to find out.”

“The beacon exploded. A system overload maybe.” Ashley looked apologetically at the Commander, “You were convulsing for a while after. Only stopped after the Doctor gave you a sedative. The Lieutenant and I carried you back to the ship.”

Shepard sighed, burying her face in her hands. Doctor Chakwas coughed, drawing her attention back up, “Captain Anderson wanted you to see him the moment you woke up. But first I need to ask you to try out your biotics.”

“My biotics?”

“Lieutenant Alenko and Chief Williams said they exploded with your seizures. I need to make sure the experience didn’t damage your implant or do any other lasting damage.”

Shepard nodded, bringing her hands together in front of her. She concentrated, attempting to produce a Singularity between her hands. Far quicker than she expected, the sphere of dark energy coalesced, quickly filling the space. The pain in her head seemed to lessen as she exerted more effort into the orb. Shepard shook out her hands, dissipating the energy into the air. She swore a brief bit of green sparked in the blue dark energy, but wrote it off to her condition. “No pain or anything. In fact, the pain in my head went away.” She blinked several times to make sure she wasn’t imagining it. “Yeah, pain gone.”

“Okay.”

Shepard shrank slightly back into the bed at Chakwas’ stare, “Is there something else wrong with me doctor?”

“Physically, you’re fine. But I detected some unusual brain activity, abnormal beta waves. They were particularly concentrated around your implant. I also noticed an increase in your rapid eye movement, signs typically associated with intense dreaming.”

Shepard’s face went pale, all three other occupants of the room looking on with great interest. “Not dreaming, a vision. I saw… I’m not sure what I saw. Death. Destruction. Nothing’s really clear.”

Chakwas didn’t seem exactly happy with that answer, humming her dissatisfaction, “Hmm… I better add that to my report.” She spun at the sound of the door to the medbay hissing open, “Ah, Captain Anderson.”

Anderson, as serious as ever, started the questioning immediately, “How’s our XO holding up Doctor?”

“For the moment, all her readings look normal. I’d say the Commander will be fine.”

The Captain nodded his satisfaction, “Excellent. If you wouldn’t mind Doctor, I’d like a private word with Commander Shepard.”

Doctor Chakwas began to back out of the medbay, Ashley and Kaidan leaving first, “Let me know if the pain returns Commander. And if your biotics flare up, I want you to stop using them immediately and see me. Do I make myself clear, Commander?”

The stern look from the Doctor made Shepard chuckle, “Of course Doctor. You’ll be the first to know.”

The door closed, Anderson locking the door and visibly deflating. He turned to look at Shepard, the soldier, no, the friend she’d known for years, coming to the forefront. He sat himself in a chair at her bedside, “Sounds like that beacon hit you pretty hard, Shepard. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Shepard’s face fell, the memory of Corporal Jenkins being cut down still fresh in her mind, “I don’t like losing soldiers under my command Anderson.”

“You can’t blame yourself for Jenkins. Lieutenant Alenko gave me his report. There’s nothing either of you could’ve done.”

“Doesn’t make it any better sir. I’ve lost soldiers before, sure… but this feels different. He was barely out of boot camp for fucks sake.” Shepard sighed, “His first proper mission and I can’t do anything!”

“You can’t save everyone. You know that.”

Shepard’s mind drifted back to Elysium, seeing the burned corpses of the few colonists she’d failed, “I know sir.” She looked at the door the other three had left by, “If you don’t mind me asking, why is Williams here? She’s not on the Normandy’s crew.”

“I figured we could use a soldier like her. And with the rest of her squad gone, there wasn’t really anything for her to do on Eden Prime. I reassigned her to the Normandy.”

“Williams is a good soldier. She deserves it.” A thought popped into her head, “If a bit… misguided, if I’m right about a few of her beliefs.” Anderson cocked an eyebrow, “It’s nothing, I’ll sort it out. It won’t impact any missions she comes on.”

“Lieutenant Alenko agrees with you about her skill. He recommended the Chief himself, figured you’d be alright with it. I’m glad he wasn’t wrong.”

Anger creased Shepard’s face as she thought about the mission, “Intel dropped the ball Anderson. We had no idea what we were walking into down there. How could they not know about an entire fucking army? The mission went to hell the moment we touched down.”

“The Geth haven’t been outside the Veil in three centuries, Shepard. There’s no way anyone could’ve predicted this.”

Shepard sighed, knowing the Captain was right. She rubbed at her eyes with the heels of her palms, trying to sort through the vision she’d received from the beacon. Shepard looked up at Anderson, knowing his next question by the look on his face, “I assume this private chat is about Nihlus?”

Anderson grimaced, “I won’t lie to you, Shepard. Things look bad. Nihlus is dead. The beacon was annihilated and now we have news of the Geth beyond the Veil.” He crossed his arms, leaning back in the chair, “The Council’s going to want answers, and I don’t think they’re going to like the ones we’ve got for them.”

“And because we’re Human, they’ll assume the worst.” She groaned at the thought, “Hopefully the Council will see I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I’ll stand behind whatever you report, Shepard. You’re a damned hero in my books. But, that’s not why I’m here.” Anderson got up from his seat, pacing about the room with his hands clasped behind his back, “It’s Saren. Lieutenant Alenko mentioned him in his report. The other Turian that some of the colonists had seen and apparently shot Nihlus. Saren’s a Spectre, one of the best. A living legend to the Council. Gets the job done no matter what it is or what he has to do. But if he’s working with the Geth, it means he’s gone rogue. A rogue Spectre’s trouble. Saren’s dangerous to the Nth degree. And he hates humans.”

“Are we talking the hatred that every Turian save for a select few have for us, or something more deep-seated than that?”

“Far more than the average Turian. He thinks we’re expanding too fast, taking parts of the galaxy we have no right to. He’s not private about any of this either. He’s said it numerous times, in public. A lot of aliens think that way about us, but most of them never do anything about it. They don’t want all-out war with Humanity. The First Contact War was enough.” Anderson stood at the end of Shepard’s bed, leaning on the end of it, “But Saren, he’s another story. If what we saw is true, he’s allied himself with the Geth. I don’t know how. I don’t know why. I only know it had something to do with that beacon. I can’t think of a single other thing that Eden Prime could have possibly drawn his interest for. You were there just before the beacon self-destructed. Did you see anything? Any clue that might tell us what Saren was after?”

“I wasn’t just there. The damned thing exploded in my face. But… before it did, it gave me a…” Shepard paused, searching for anything that would make her story more believable, “…vision.”

Anderson looked both sceptical and intrigued, “A vision? A vision of what exactly?”

“Synthetics. In all-out war with organics. They were slaughtering people by the millions. Butchering them for no reason. The Geth maybe? A simulation of what they want to come to pass?”

Anderson crossed his arms and looked more serious than he had since coming into the room, “We need to report this to the Council, Shepard.”

Shepard scoffed at his response, “And tell them what exactly? I had a bad dream? You really think they’ll believe a Human soldier over one of their best?”

“We don’t know what was stored in that beacon. It could be any number of things besides what you saw. Lost Prothean technology? Blueprints for some ancient weapon of mass destruction?” The Captain resumed his pacing, “Whatever was there, Saren took it. But I know Saren. I know his reputation, his politics. He believes Humans are a blight on the galaxy. The attack on Eden Prime was an act of war! He has the secrets from the beacon. He has an army of Geth at his command. He has the largest spaceship that I’ve ever seen, with I’m assuming incredibly powerful weaponry. And he won’t stop until he’s wiped Humanity from the face of the galaxy!”

“Unless I can stop him.”

Anderson nodded, “Yes, but it’s not that easy. Saren’s a Spectre. He can go anywhere, do almost anything with no repercussions. That’s why we need the Council on our side.”

An idea sprang to Shepard’s mind, “And the best way to do that is prove Saren’s gone rogue. They’ll revoke his Spectre status!” A smile crept across the Commander’s face, “And if we had a Spectre to help us…”

Anderson immediately understood Shepard’s meaning, “In due time Commander. I’ll contact the ambassador and see if he can get us an audience with the Council. He’ll want to see us as soon as we reach the Citadel.” He called up his omni tool, connecting to the Normandy’s intercom, “Joker. Set course for the Citadel and make it fast.”

“Aye, aye, sir.”

Shepard felt the Normandy begin its travels, the ever so slight change in the direction of the artificial gravity before the generators corrected themselves. She’d been told by many of her comrades she was imagining the change, that the generators were far too advanced to be affected by a simple direction change. Shepard had always put it down to her exemplary biotic skill, far more in tune with subtle changes in whatever Mass Effect field she was near.

“I’d suggest getting your armour back on Commander. The Citadel’s not the safest place at the best of times.” And with that, Anderson left the medbay, leaving Shepard to her thoughts.

The Commander swung her legs off the bed, breathing in deeply and preparing to get up. She carefully lowered herself to the ground, screwing her eyes shut as her feet touched the ground. She sighed with relief, glad Doctor Chakwas had been right and there weren’t any physical side effects from her contact with the beacon. She pulled her combat boots on, lacing them up and straightening her fatigues.

Just as she began to walk towards the door, it opened, revealing Ashley looking downcast.

She stuttered with her words, “Com- Commander. Wasn’t expecting you to be out of the bed so soon.”

Shepard smiled, “Yeah, well, can’t keep me down for long. Always moving forward.”

“I wanted to apologise for the beacon, Commander. If I hadn’t been so stupid, maybe the mission wouldn’t have failed.”

Shepard placed a hand on Ashley’s shoulder, “Nothing to feel sorry for Chief. The beacon would’ve done what it did to me to anyone who got too close.” She chuckled, rubbing her heel of her palm into her temple, “Be glad it wasn’t you. Gives one hell of a hangover, and not the good kind. And as for my mission, it was doomed from the start. We didn’t anticipate the Geth being there. Nothing you could’ve done to change that.”

Ashley nodded, her expression brightening a little bit, “At any rate, I’m glad you’re okay Commander. The crew could use some good news after…” She swallowed, almost looking guilty, “After what happened to Jenkins.”

The Commander nodded, “Jenkins was a valuable part of the crew. He’ll be sorely missed.”

“Part of me feels guilty about what happened. If he was still alive, I probably wouldn’t be here.”

Shepard shook her head, “You’re a good soldier, Williams. You earned your place on the Normandy. Your skill is what brought you here, not the unfortunate circumstances.”

“Thanks Commander. I appreciate you saying that.”

“Speaking of the mission, it got pretty rough. You okay?”

Ashley looked torn as Shepard asked, “I’ve seen friends die before Commander. Comes with being a marine. But to see all of them go before me… and nothing prepares you for dead civilians, especially on that scale.” Some colour came back to her cheeks, “It would’ve been a lot worse if you hadn’t showed up Commander.”

“Couldn’t have done it without you, Chief.”

“Thanks. I have to admit; I was a little worried when the Captain told me I was being reassigned. It’s nice when someone makes you feel welcome.”

Shepard smiled a little wider, “I think you’re going to fit in here just fine, Williams.” She began to walk away, turning back to face Ashley, “And Williams?”

“Yes, Commander?”

“Call me Shepard. Being called Commander all the time makes me feel like a robot.”

Ashley laughed, “Sure thing… Shepard.”

Shepard strode away from Ashley, looking across the mess hall at Kaidan, leaning against the wall. She gave him a bright smile, the Lieutenant feeling a blush come to his cheeks as he nodded back. The moment she was out of sight, Kaidan let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. He put a hand against his heart, trying to stop it from beating out of his chest. He needed to get these juvenile feelings out of his system.

Shepard hopped into the elevator, the doors beginning to close before a hand stopped them and the grey hair of Doctor Chakwas came into view. The Doctor crossed her arms and got into the lift beside Shepard, glancing at her with an accusing glare. “I hope you’re not going down to do what I think you’re going to do Commander.”

Shepard looked away guiltily, “Of course not Doctor. I always listen to the medial staff of the Alliance.”

The older woman laughed heartily, “Oh? You do, do you? I seem to remember hearing a story of the doctor who treated you after the Skyllian Blitz, quite literally, having to pry you away from your training equipment.”

Shepard raised her hand to argue, but soon lowered it, begrudgingly accepting the Doctor’s orders. “Fine. I’ll actually lay off for a bit. I need to go down anyway. Anderson wants me to gear up for the Citadel.”

The Doctor clapped her hands together, “Excellent. I’ll come down with you.”

“Oh, there’s no need for that. I’m sure Joker needs you for something.”

Chakwas raised an eyebrow, “And I’m quite sure Jeff can survive a few minutes without me while I make sure our XO doesn’t try to injure herself further.”

Shepard crossed her arms and sighed, blowing a stray piece of hair away from her face, “Not going to be able to slip anything by you, am I?”

Chakwas smiled, “Anderson wanted the best for this ship. That’s why Jeff’s here, it’s why you’re here and it’s why I’m here. It helps that I know how to deal with unruly patients.” She pressed the button, the lift making its frustratingly slow descent into the bowels of the ship.

Shepard stepped off the moment she could, finding her black and red N7 armour scattered over a table. It had obviously been taken off her with little care, the under armour in a pile next to the hard-outer pieces. Shepard pulled off her boots, quickly donning the under armour and zipping it up at the side. The rest of the armour came together quickly, Shepard sighing as she fastened the last piece to her body. She glanced over at the small amount of weights equipment she’d specifically ordered on the day they’d set out from Arcturus Station. Doctor Chakwas subtly moved into her line of sight, refocusing her efforts on finishing her armour.

Doctor and Commander made the trip back up to the central level of the Normandy together, Chakwas waiting till Shepard had climbed out of her sight on the stairs before returning to the medbay.

Shepard strode through the CIC, having a brief chat with Navigator Pressley about Jenkins’ death before making it to the cockpit.

Joker looked up as she entered, a brief grin on his face quickly fading as Shepard sat down beside his chair.

“Rough mission, then?”

Shepard ran her hands through her hair as Joker closed and locked the door to the cockpit, knowing that Shepard wouldn’t want the rest of the crew to see her like this. “That’s one way to put it.”

“Then we’ll just have to stick it to Saren when you get him.”

“And how am I supposed to do that Joker? He’s a Spectre, I’m just a random Alliance soldier. He has an entire army of Geth and the biggest ship I’ve ever seen. I can’t win against that.”

Joker smacked her across the back of the head, the Commander about to smack him right back when Joker started speaking, “Are you seriously talking like that? Random Alliance soldier? You’re Commander “Fuck it, I’ll take on an army by myself” Shepard. If anyone can take that Turian down, it’s you. And, it helps you’ve got the best damn pilot in the Alliance fleet to get you there in style.”

“There it is. Pep talk for me, turning into bragging for you.” Shepard grinned at the pilot; a small amount of her flagging confidence restored.

“Yeah, well, can’t change the facts. You’re an insane biotic, I’m the best pilot. We work well together.”

“That we do.” Shepard looked out the window at the stars as they rushed past in blue lines, “I’m just angry. I couldn’t do anything to save Jenkins. I should’ve been able to save him.”

“And what’s sitting her moping about it going to do?”

“Makes me feel better. You complain about stuff all the time; about time I get to too.”

“I guess that’s fair. Though you don’t have a crippling disease holding you back.”

She laughed, “True. Deliberately throwing myself into danger doesn’t count I suppose.” Shepard climbed to her feet, clapping Joker lightly on the shoulder, “Thanks Joker. How far from the Citadel are we anyway?”

“You’ve come at the perfect time actually. Should be dropping out of FTL any second now.” The star field surrounding them suddenly shifted back into looking normal, the nebula the Citadel floated in filling the windows. The purple gaseous cloud almost hid the giant space station from view, the four arms poking out. “That view never gets old.”

“Bring us in. Anderson wants us meeting the Council ASAP.”

“Aye, aye, Commander. Citadel Control, this is the SSV Normandy requesting permission to land.”

A Turian voice came through from the Citadel, “ _Stand by for clearance Normandy._ ” There was a pause on the other end of the line, “ _Clearance granted. You may begin your approach. Transferring you to an Alliance operator._ ”

“Roger Alliance tower, Normandy out.”

A Human voice came through, “ _Normandy, this is Alliance Tower. Please proceed to Dock 422_.”

“Roger that.” Joker looked to Shepard just as she was leaving, “Give the Council hell from me Commander.”

Shepard called over her shoulder, “I’ll make sure to break a bone at them for you.”

“You’re damn right you will.”

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 8:00am, 7 th of January 2183**

**Ambassador Udina’s Office, Human Embassy, Citadel**

They’d had to wait several hours on the Normandy while their docking clearance went through, along with the bureaucracy of just getting onto the station itself. Shepard had been pacing by the airlock for the whole time, impatient to get their visit to the Citadel underway. She hadn’t been back to the giant space station in a few years, the last time as a celebration for finishing her N7 training with her mother. She wanted to get the Alliance business over and done with as fast as possible, convinced she could convince Anderson to give them a small amount of shore leave. There was a drink in a bar with Shepard’s name on it, and right now, she needed it.

Shepard followed after Captain Anderson, Ashley and Kaidan following through the doors to the Human embassy after her.

They stepped through the doors just as Humanity’s ambassador was yelling at holograms of the three most powerful people in Citadel space. “This is an outrage! The Council would step in if the Geth had attacked a Turian Colony!”

The Salarian Councillor replied, some amount of bite in his voice, “The Turians don’t found colonies on the borders of the Terminus Systems, Ambassador.”

“Humanity was well aware of the risks when you went into the traverse.” The Asari Councillor backed up her Salarian counterpart. Shepard had been expecting something like this. She had known the Council wouldn’t believe a word they said. They’d just have to prove it to them with the evidence they had.

Udina’s next words were not chosen carefully in Shepard’s opinion, “What about Saren?! You can’t just ignore a rogue Spectre! I demand action!”

The Turian Councillor was quick to correct his choice of words, “You don’t get to make demands of the Council, Ambassador.”

“Citadel Security is investigating your charges against Saren. We will discuss the C-Sec findings at the hearing. Not before.” The Asari shut the Ambassador down with her words, shutting of the connection from Udina’s office to their chambers.

Udina sighed, rubbing at his eyes and turning around. He finally seemed to notice the other four people in the room. “Captain Anderson. I see you’ve brought half your crew with you.”

Shepard could see Anderson grind his teeth slightly, obviously liking the man about as much as Shepard did, “Just the ground team from Eden Prime, in case you had any questions.”

The Ambassador’s reply stunk of self-importance, “I have the mission reports. I assume they’re accurate?” His words were almost accusatory. If Shepard wasn’t bound by Alliance protocol, she would’ve given him a piece of her mind right then and there.

Anderson seemed to be thinking the same thing. “They are. The Council has agreed to an audience then?”

“They were not happy about it.” Udina grumbled, “Saren’s their top agent. They don’t like him being accused of treason.”

“They’re obviously not going to do anything about it. I’m not going to sit around here doing nothing. I’ll go after Saren myself.” Shepard could no longer hold her tongue.

Udina narrowed his eyes at the biotic, “Settle down, Commander. You’ve already done more than enough to jeopardize your candidacy to the Spectres. That mission to Eden Prime was supposed to be for you to prove to the Council you could get the job done. Instead, the Beacon is destroyed and Nihlus winds up with a bullet through his head!”

Anderson came to her defence immediately, “That was Saren’s doing, not hers!”

A smug expression creased Udina’s face, “Then we’d better hope the C-Sec investigation turns up evidence to support our accusations. If it doesn’t, the Council will only use this as an excuse to bar Shepard from the Spectres, and perhaps all Humans.” He turned back to Captain Anderson, “Come with me Captain. There’s a few things I need to discuss with you before the hearing. You and those other two can meet us at the Citadel Tower, Shepard. I’ll make sure you have clearance to get in.”

Shepard waited till they were gone before releasing her breath. She groaned, not looking forward to the inevitably fruitless hearing that they would soon be attending.

“And that’s why I hate politicians.” Ashley’s comment brought a small chuckle from Shepard.

“You and me both. I might punch Udina if he says one more thing.” Shepard cracked her knuckles for effect, grinning at Ashley.

“I’ll hold him still for you if you want. Really get the sweet spot.”

“Aw, thanks. That’s sweet of you.” Shepard winked at her. The other woman was slightly confused by Shepard’s actions, but smiled in return.

Kaidan coughed loudly, drawing both their attentions, “We should probably be going. We’ve got a little time, but it’s probably better if we’re early to a Council meeting rather than late.”

“Right you are, Lieutenant. Although…” Shepard thought for a moment, “Before we do that, let’s go check in with C-Sec. I want to talk to them about what they found against Saren. Maybe even hit one of the Presidium’s bars before we go in.” She grinned at the other two Humans, Ashley grinning back, Kaidan a disapproving smirk.

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 9:40am, 7 th of January 2183**

**Citadel Council Chambers, Citadel**

 

Shepard tapped her foot in the elevator up to the Council Chambers. Their trip to C-Sec headquarters had been for naught, none of the officers there willing to give them information about their investigation into Saren. The officer was in charge of it wasn’t even there, still hunting down any leads he could. Shepard hoped she’d run into him at some point, maybe get something more to take Saren down with. She knew how the meeting with the Council was going to go. They barely had any evidence to prove Saren’s guilt, and the vision the Prothean Beacon had given her hardly counted.

The lift opened to the Council Chamber’s atrium, a huge room with its ceiling far above them. Two Turians stood at the top of the staircase in front of them, a heated argument passing between the pair.

“-barely enough time to solve a robbery, let alone a charge of treason.” The younger of the two was clad in dark blue armour, slightly taller than his counterpart. The expression on his face said it all. He was attempting to hold back from yelling at the other, some form of respect preventing him from lashing out, “Saren’s hiding something! Give me more time! Stall them if you have to!”

The second Turian scoffed, “Stall the Council? Don’t be ridiculous! Your investigation is over, Garrus. I am ordering you to drop this.” He turned around, marching away from the younger Turian.

Garrus put his hands on his hips, huffing out a sigh of frustration. Shepard smiled slightly at her luck. The one man she couldn’t find in C-Sec headquarters had by some stroke of luck, landed squarely in her path.

The Turian looked down the stairs as Shepard approached, eyes widening in recognition, “Commander Shepard? Garrus Vakarian. I was the officer in charge of the C-Sec investigation into Saren.”

“Doesn’t sound like you got very far.”

“Two days isn’t exactly enough time to get evidence against someone like Saren. Everything he touches is classified in one way or another.” Garrus crossed his arms, clicking his mandibles, “Something about him rubs me the wrong way. I don’t trust him for one second. But of course, he’s a Spectre. No hard evidence to speak of. Yet…”

“Yet?” Shepard was intrigued by Garrus’ choice of words.

He gave the Turian equivalent of a grin, “I was close to something. Something I think would’ve proven his guilt. But I needed more time. Don’t think I’m going to get it now.”

Garrus walked away down the stairs, Shepard calling after him, “Where are you going?”

“I think you can guess that Commander.”

The lift doors opened to revel both Captain Anderson and Ambassador Udina, Garrus stepping aside as they pushed past him. The last thing Shepard saw as he stepped into the elevator, was the Turian wink at her.

Udina turned to her the moment he noticed her, “You better be ready Shepard; we are this close to getting a Human on the Council.” Ever since meeting the man, Shepard had taken an instant dislike to Udina. He claimed to be working for Humanity’s best interests, but Shepard saw through the façade. He was here for himself, and himself only. She wouldn’t be surprised if he would make Humanity’s place in the galaxy worse just to put himself on the Council.

“I’m ready. Don’t worry, the Council will listen to me.” Shepard stumbled on the next step, Udina instantly spinning and shoving a finger in her face.

“I need you focused. Do not make me look bad in front of the Council.”

Shepard almost grabbed his finger and broke it before Anderson intervened, “Don’t worry Udina, I’ll make sure the Commander is ready. Go on up and start, we’ll join you.”

“See that you do Captain. I need this. Humanity needs this. If Shepard becomes a Spectre, we’re one step closer to having a Human Councillor.”

The older man walked off, climbing the stairs further into the room. Shepard huffed, crossing her arms and staring at the man’s retreating back, “Is it just me, or is he trying to be infuriating?”

Anderson stepped into her line of sight, “This isn’t a game Shepard. This is the Citadel Council. I need you in top form when we go in there. Doctor Chakwas may have cleared you, but I need to make certain. Are you ready for this? Udina had to pull a lot of strings to get a meeting with the Council this quickly.”

Shepard nodded, “I know the stakes, Captain. I won’t let you down.”

“Good. Let’s get in there before Udina yells at us both.” They made it about halfway before Anderson whispered to her, “And yes, I think he does try.” Shepard snickered, but quickly trained her expression to neutral before striding onto the small walkway, leading to where Udina stood talking to the Council.

The Turian Councillor instantly acknowledged Shepard’s presence, “Commander Shepard. Glad to see you’re all right.” Even from the distance, Shepard could see his eyes narrow with suspicion and distrust. “That said, Nihlus is dead. The Spectre who specifically vouched for you and your skills. On top of that, the Prothean Beacon you were sent to recover was destroyed, by Human hands if I understand correctly. And, now we have your report informing us the Geth invaded Eden Prime.” He leaned forward on the console in front of him, giving the Turian equivalent of a scowl, “None of this is good. It seems everything that could have possibly gone wrong with this mission, did.”

The Asari Councillor chimed in, “The Geth attack is… troubling. They haven’t been seen outside the Veil in nearly three centuries. If your story is true, there may be yet cause for concern.”

“And as for the charge of treason against Saren,” The Councillor waved his talons at the hologram of Saren in the corner, the Turian Spectre looking none too pleased to be accused of the crime, “The C-Sec investigation against him has yielded absolutely no evidence to support your assertions. Your accusation of treason seems to be based on nothing. There is no evidence Saren was involved with the Geth attack.”

Shepard had to grit her teeth to prevent herself from yelling back at the Council. They couldn’t see what was right in front of them. Luckily for her, Udina did the talking, “Shepard and her squad heard the gunshot! They have eye witness reports of both the murder and Saren fleeing the scene!”

The Salarian Councillor picked up a datapad in front of him, reading a few lines before speaking, “We’ve read the report, Ambassador Udina. This eye witness seems to have witnessed a Turian looking very much like Saren. But, the testimony of one traumatized dockworker is hardly compelling proof.”

Saren’s hologram folded his arms and scoffed at the Council, “I resent these baseless accusations. Nihlus was a fellow Spectre and a dear friend.”

Anderson moved forward, almost pushing Udina out of the way and slamming his fist into the podium, “Which is exactly why Nihlus let his guard down!” Udina glared at him out of the corner of his eye.

Saren looked at the Captain with some amusement, “Captain Anderson. You always seem to be involved when Humanity makes false charges against me. And this must be your protégé, Commander Shepard.” His attention shifted to the Commander, regarding her coldly, “Wasn’t destroying the beacon enough Commander? Do you have to attempt to bring someone else down with you?”

Shepard could no longer contain herself, “You’re the one who destroyed the beacon and left me to be framed!”

The Turian chuckled, “Sure, shift the blame to cover up your own failures. Just like Captain Anderson. He taught you well.”

“I’ll teach you with a foot up your-”

“Learn your place in the galaxy, Human. You’re not ready to join the Council. Your race is not even ready to join the Spectres.”

Udina seemed to have had enough of Saren as well, “He has no right to say that! It is not his decision!”

The Asari Councillor looked up at the hologram, narrowing her eyes at the Turian, “Commander Shepard’s admission into the Spectres is not the purpose of this meeting, Saren. You would do well to remember that.”

Saren threw his arms up, “This meeting had no purpose! The Humans are wasting your time Councillor, as well as mine!”

Anderson spoke again, half yelling at the Turian’s image, “You can’t hide behind the Council forever. And we haven’t addressed the Commander’s vision. The one caused by the beacon.”

Shepard looked at Anderson in surprise. She hadn’t been expecting to actually talk about the vision, given that she could barely understand it herself. She closed her eyes, casting her mind into the vision itself. The images flashed across her mind’s eye, along with the horrendous roaring filling her ears, “I saw synthetics… machines. Geth maybe? They were slaughtering people.”

Saren’s laughter filled the space, “Are we allowing dreams into evidence now? Should I just say I had a dream of my complete innocence and we can be done with this farce?” He turned his attention to the Council, “How can I defend my innocence against this kind of testimony?”

The Turian Councillor nodded, “I agree. Our decision needs to be based on facts and evidence. Not wild imaginings and speculation.”

“Do you have anything else to add, Commander Shepard?” The Salarian looked genuinely interested in what Shepard had said so far, but she knew without any hard evidence, she’d get nowhere.

“No, Councillor.” She spoke through clenched teeth, trying to restrain herself from insulting the three Councillors.

The Asari Councillor spoke in her most diplomatic voice, “The Council has found no evidence of any connection between Saren and the Geth, nor of his involvement in the death of fellow Spectre Nihlus. Ambassador, your petition to have him disbarred from the Spectres is denied. While Nihlus’ loss is regrettable, it seems Commander Shepard did everything she could to attempt to save the beacon.”

Shepard maintained eye contact with Saren, a cold fury burning in her eyes. She knew in that moment she would stop at nothing to take him down, even if it meant she’d have to bend the rules a little.

Saren continued to stare at Shepard as he spoke a few final words before shutting his hologram off, “Glad to see justice has been served.”

Shepard remained standing at the podium in the Council chambers even as the rest of her party filed out. She stared at where Saren’s hologram had been, trying to come up with a plan to take him down, no matter the cost.

Shepard came down from the podium, finding Anderson and Udina arguing.

“It was mistake bringing you in there, Anderson. You have too much history with Saren. It made the council question our motives.”

“Oh, come on Udina. Saren’s a Spectre, admittedly one of the best. There’s only one possible reason why he’d go rogue.” Udina narrowed his eyes at the Captain, knowing he wouldn’t like Anderson’s answer, “To exterminate the entire Human race. And with the Geth, he could do it!” Udina rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and almost speaking before Anderson interrupted him once more, “I don’t know what else was in that Beacon, but you can be sure Saren will find a way to use it against us. Every colony we have is at risk. Every world we control is in danger! Even Earth isn’t safe.”

“Let’s assume that is his goal, and he has a way to do it. Even if he’s half as dangerous as you say, he’s virtually untouchable. He’s a Spectre. There’s nothing we can bring to the Council that they’ll believe, unless it’s hard evidence that Saren is the enemy. We need to find a way to expose him.”

Anderson thought for a moment, “The C-Sec officer, leading their investigation into Saren. It’s as good a place to start as any.”

“Garrus? I happened to run into him earlier. Sounded like he had a way of getting something more against Saren, he just ran out of time.” Shepard sighed, “C-Sec won’t tell us where he is though. The Executor made that much pretty clear from what I’ve heard. He ordered Garrus to drop the investigation. We don’t exactly have any leverage to convince him to tell us anything.”

“I have a contact in C-Sec who can get us to Garrus. Harkin is his name.”

Anderson scoffed, “Forget it. Harkin was suspended last month. Drinking on the job. I won’t waste my time with that loser.”

Udina immediately cut through Anderson’s train of thought, “You won’t have to. I will not have the Council use your history with Saren as an excuse to ignore any evidence we might be able to turn up. Shepard will handle it.”

Shepard spoke up, “You can’t just cut Captain Anderson out of this investigation!”

Anderson raised his hand, “The Ambassador’s right. I need to step aside. I’ve got too much history with Saren. I’ll only end up getting in the way.”

“I have some business I need to take care of.” The Ambassador turned to the Captain, “Anderson, meet me in my office later. There’s a few things I’d like to go over.” Udina walked off, leaving Shepard and her squad with Anderson.

Shepard sighed, “I think I’m going to have to talk to Harkin. C-Sec is not going to tell me anything. Not when it goes against the Council’s top agent. Garrus is our only option, and Harkin might be the only way to get to him.”

Anderson nodded, “I think you’re right, no matter how much I don’t want you to be.”

“Any idea where I might find him?”

“He’s probably getting drunk in Chora’s Den. It’s a dingy little club in the lower section of the wards.”

Shepard turned to smirk at Ashely and Kaidan, “Looks like I might get that drink after all.” She turned back to Anderson, “I’ll check it out sir. I’ll let you know if we find anything.” She saluted the Captain and made her way to the nearest elevator, descending down the tower away from the Citadel’s elite, and towards its seedy underbelly.

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 11:10am, 7 th of January 2183**

**Lower Wards, Citadel**

 

The lower sections of the Citadel had always had a certain feel about them. Danger lurking around every corner, not necessarily to the person, but always to at least their wallet. The number of shifty merchants they’d passed on their way towards Chora’s Den was astounding. Shepard wondered how they could all possibly keep in business.

Just as she rounded the last corner and could see the entrance to the club, a man almost jumped into her path. “Oh. My. God.” Shepard barely had time to think before he started speaking, “Is that really… wow! It’s you!”

“Uh… Hi.”

“You’re Commander Shepard! The hero of Eden Prime, I am so honoured to meet you!” Word had spread fast about their mission. Every second person they had passed on the way here had been talking about the attack.

“Nice to meet you too. And you are…?”

“Conrad. Conrad Verner. Your biggest fan! They say you killed more than a hundred Geth on Eden Prime! That must be an understatement.”

“I was just trying to help the colony. Anyone would’ve done the same.”

“Humble too! You really are the best.” He suddenly looked incredibly nervous, “Hey… um… I know you’re really busy, but do you think you have time for a quick autograph?”

“Sure, I don’t see why not.” Conrad rapidly pulled a datapad from his pocket, almost shoving it into Shepard’s chest. She quickly signed it, handing it back to him.

“And a picture?”

Shepard wasn’t so sure of the second request, but relented, moving next to the man. He called up his omni-tool, moving a little too close to Shepard. She smiled for the picture despite his forwardness.

“Wow! Thanks, I really appreciate it. My wife is going to be so impressed. And if you’re ever on Earth, I’d love to buy you a drink.” Conrad walked away, leaving Shepard slightly stunned in his wake.

“Somehow, I don’t think his wife is going to react like he thinks she’s going to.” Shepard turned, making her way closer to the club, “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever had a fan before.”

“Don’t worry Shepard, soon you’ll be a Spectre. You’ll have too many fans to know what to do with.” Ashley’s comment caused a small chuckle from the Commander.

“I think you may have just described my nightmare Williams.”

The door to Chora’s Den was flanked by two large Krogan bouncers. They didn’t even move a muscle as the three Human soldiers moved past, despite the weapons all three of them were carrying. Shepard now disliked this place even more. Letting three heavily armed people into a club, even if they weren’t going to do anything was a recipe for disaster. Who knew what other patrons may have been armed?

A short walkway led to the door of the club, the pulsing bass of the music filtering out to even here. As soon as the door opened, the music was almost deafening, the sheer volume felt like it would burst her eardrums at any moment.

The bar dominated the centre of the room, a large circular structure with a bartender every few feet. The place was packed with patrons, crowding the bar and the tables on the outer walls. Shepard scanned the bar, searching for any place Harkin might be. Unfortunately, Anderson hadn’t given a particularly enlightening description of the man. ‘Drunk’ could’ve described 90 percent of the people in here. Shepard’s eyes travelled up, finding several scantily-clad Asari gyrating on poles above the bar. She felt a slight blush come to her cheeks and her heart accelerate at the sight, looking away quickly and pushing her way to the bar. Luckily for her, neither Ashley nor Kaidan seemed to have noticed how flustered the sight had made her.

“I need to see a guy named Harkin; you know where I can find him?”

The bartender rolled her eyes, “He’s here every day. Damn creepy if you ask me. Just lucky he’s not C-Sec anymore, can’t get away with the shit he used to.” The Asari pointed at table on the far side of the room, “He’s over there. If you could get him to fuck off for a few hours, that’d be great.”

Shepard motioned to Ashley and Kaidan, making her way towards Harkin. He was a balding man, looking to be in his forties, if not fifties. Still dressed in C-Sec uniform, he was leering at nearly every woman who passed his table. Shepard moved in front of him, blocking his view from the rest of the bar. His eyes travelled up her frame, staying just a little too long on her chest. If she didn’t need him, Shepard may have punched him right then and there.

“Alliance military, huh? I could’ve been a marine you know. Instead I joined the fucking Citadel Security. Worst mistake of my life.” His words were slightly slurred, obviously at least a bit drunk. “Maybe you could make me feel better about it?”

Shepard narrowed her eyes at the man, “Harkin, right? The only thing I’m going to make you feel better about is me not knocking out your teeth.” He straightened up at her threat, “Now, I was told you could help me find someone. A Turian C-Sec officer named Garrus.”

“Garrus? You must be one of Captain Anderson’s crew. I heard you guys had a run in with Saren. Poor bastard’s been trying to bring him down for years.” A smug smirk crossed his face, “I know where Garrus is. I could tell you… for a price.” He leer made it clear exactly what he wanted.

Shepard took one step forward, bunching Harkin’s shirt in both fists and slamming into the wall behind his table, wisps of dark energy rotating around her arms, “You’re going to tell me where Garrus is, and you’re going to tell me now. If you don’t, well I’m sure you’ve seen what a powerful biotic can do to a person when they’ve been pissed off.”

Harkin spluttered out, “Alright, alright! Garrus was sniffing around Dr. Michel’s office. She runs the med clinic on the other side of the wards. Last I heard, he was going back there.”

Shepard let go, the man sliding to the ground, “Thanks.” She bent down, getting right in his face, “And do me a favour. Get out of here. No one needs your sorry ass leering at them all day.”

Shepard turned away from Harkin, trying to leave the club as fast as she could. She stopped in her tracks as she watched a huge Krogan in dark red armour shove another near the back of the club. She moved closer, trying to overhear the conversation.

“Fuck off, Wrex. Fist isn’t seeing anyone.”

“Isn’t seeing anyone?” Wrex laughed, “And how are you two runts going to stop me? You know I always get what I want.”

“You don’t want to start this. Get out before we make a bloody mess on the floor.”

The threat only made Wrex laugh louder, “HA! That’ll be the day.” He turned away, talking over his shoulder, “Tell Fist I’ll be back. And I won’t be taking no for an answer.”

Wrex passed Shepard, giving her a sidelong glance before leaving the club. She could tell he could be either a great ally, or a terrible enemy. Shepard led Ashely and Kaidan out of the club. The moment they were out, she patted one of her ears, trying to stop the ringing from the loud music, “I think that may have made me deaf.”

Kaidan scoffed, “And firing a gun right next to your ear for years didn’t?”

“Okay, more deaf then. I like loud music just as much as the next person, but Jesus. That was too much.” The ringing finally stopped, “Let’s go find Garrus.”

They rapidly progressed through the wards, dodging around the very insistent sales people. Finally, Shepard spotted a small sign towards the clinic, making her way towards where it pointed.

The sound of shouting echoed down the short corridor. All three Alliance soldiers pulled their weapons free, the guns expanding to their full extent. Shepard motioned for them to be as quiet as they could, creeping towards the entrance of the clinic. The automatic door was half destroyed, glass covering the ground, black smoke rising from the destroyed machinery. Shepard carefully picked her way through the debris, poking her head around the doorway.

The front desk had been overturned, loose papers and several datapads scattered everywhere. She could see the doctor on the far side of the room, confronted by several heavily armed men. A short dividing wall ran through the centre of the room, the glass that had once been above it in pieces. Shepard was surprised to find Garrus crouched behind it, attempting to get around the corner and take the men by surprise. The Turian caught sight of Shepard, bringing one talon to his mouth, and pointing up over the wall. Shepard nodded, crouching and coming into the clinic proper.

“I didn’t tell anyone, I swear!” The Doctor was terrified of the men, trying to back away from them towards the exit.

Shepard nodded at Garrus as he prepared to jump out.

“That was smart, Doc.” The thug advanced even closer to her, “Now, if Garrus comes around, you stay smart.” Shepard got even closer to the action, “Keep your mouth shut or we’ll-” They spotted Shepard, “Who the fuck are you?”

Garrus popped around the corner, the nearest thug grabbing the Doctor and holding her hostage. The Turian fired, shooting the man in the head. The Doctor screamed as blood spattered the side of her face, pushing away from the body behind her and trying to put as much distance between the shooting as she could. Instead of firing at Garrus like Shepard expected them to, they all turned on the Doctor, aiming to kill.

Shepard jumped out of her hiding place, using her biotics to propel herself across the room. She tackled the Doctor behind a wall, turning her body in the air to protect the other woman. She felt several bullets deflect off her barrier as they fell, landing heavily on the ground. “You okay?”

The Doctor nodded, Shepard rapidly climbing back to her feet and pulling her assault rifle out. Just as she popped back up to take a shot, the gunfire stopped. The last thug collapsed to the ground, signalling the end of the fight.

Shepard sighed, stowing her weapon and turning to the Turian she’d come to see.

“Perfect timing, Shepard. Gave me a clear shot at the bastard.”

Shepard shoved Garrus in the chest, blue dark energy coiling around her arms as he came off his feet to hit the wall behind him, “Are you out of your mind?!” Her question stunned the blue-armoured Turian, “Putting a civilian in danger like that! Don’t they teach you anything in C-Sec?”

“I…” Garrus could hardly get his words out, “I’m sorry, Commander. It won’t happen again.”

“You’re damn right it won’t.”

Shepard turned away from Garrus, “Dr Michel, I presume.”

“Ye ye yes.” She was still just as frightened as before.

“If you don’t mind, I had a few questions for you.” She nodded, “Why were those men threatening you? Do you know who they worked for?”

“They work for Fist.” Shepard exchanged a confused look with Ashley and Kaidan, “He own Chora’s Den. They wanted to shut me up from telling Garrus about the Quarian.”

“A Quarian? Does this have something to do with the investigation into Saren, Garrus?”

“I think it does,” Garrus turned to Dr Michel, “Please tell the Commander what happened Doctor.”

“A few days ago, a Quarian came into my clinic. She’d been shot, but she wouldn’t tell me by who. I could tell she was scared, probably on the run from whoever did.” Michel paused for a moment, trying to sort through her memory, “She asked about the Shadow Broker. She wanted to trade information in exchange for a safe place to hide.”

“Nobody who knows what’s good for them contacts the Shadow Broker.” Shepard had heard stories about the galactic information broker. They had more crimes attributed to them than any other single person. All the more reason to stay away from him or her at any cost.

“I tried to tell her that, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. So, I put her in contact with Fist. He works for the Shadow Broker.”

Garrus shook his head, “Not anymore, unfortunately for our Quarian friend. He works for Saren now, and the Shadow Broker isn’t too happy about it if the chatter from the less reputable side of town is to be believed.”

Michel was shocked, her mouth falling open as she tried to take it in, “Fist betrayed the Shadow Broker? That’s stupid, even for him. Saren must have made him quite the offer to get him to do it.”

Shepard thought for a moment, “So it stands to reason that the Quarian has something Saren wants, and it’s important enough to make an enemy of the Shadow Broker. If Saren needs it, we need to get to it before he does.” She turned back to the Doctor, “Anything else you can tell me about the Quarian? Every little bit of information helps.”

“I’m not sure. Like I said, she wanted a place to hide and was willing to trade whatever information she had to get it.” Her face lit up for a moment, “Geth! Her information was to do with the Geth!”

Garrus almost shouted at the news, “She must have something that can link Saren to the Geth. There’d be no way the Council could ignore this! We can finally bring that bastard down.”

“Hopefully the Quarian is still alive.” Shepard cracked her knuckles, “It’s time we pay Fist a visit.”

Garrus looked almost pleading as he moved in front of Shepard, “This is your show, Shepard. But I want to bring Saren down as much as you do. I’m coming with you!”

 Shepard was slightly taken aback at his statement, “Why do you hate him so much?”

Garrus somehow stood up even taller than his seven-foot frame and puffed out his chest, something Shepard assumed he reserved for talking to his superiors, “I couldn’t find the proof during my investigation. But I knew what was really going on. Saren is a traitor to the Council, and a disgrace to my people. I need to be there when you take him down.”

“As good a reason as any,” Shepard held out her hand, Garrus shaking it firmly, “Welcome aboard, Garrus.”

“Thanks, Shepard.” He paused for a moment, clicking his mandibles in thought, “You know, we aren’t the only ones going after Fist. I heard the Shadow Broker hired a Krogan bounty hunter named Wrex to take him out.”

Ashley spoke up, “Yeah, we met him at Chora’s Den. Charming guy really.”

“I’ve always wanted my own personal Krogan bodyguard.” Shepard grinned, “He might come in handy.”

“I don’t think he’ll be as willing to help as you think he might be, but last I heard, he was at C-Sec headquarters.”

“Let me guess, Fist reported him.”

Garrus nodded, “Fist accused him of making threats, which of course he did. We brought Wrex in for a little talk. If we hurry, we should be able to catch him before he leaves.”

“You’ll be okay, Doctor?”

Dr. Michel nodded, “I’ve got a lot of cleaning to do, but I think I’ll be alright. Thank you, Commander.”

“We better move then.” Shepard led her squad along with her new Turian squad-mate out of the clinic, and set off immediately for C-Sec headquarters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Tali in the next chapter, finally!


	4. Proving Treason Part 2

**Thursday, 12:10pm, 7 th of January 2183**

**C-Sec Headquarters, Citadel**

Shepard stood off to the side with her companions watching the, to her, hilarious scene unfold.

Four C-Sec officers surrounded the giant Krogan, his sheer size making them all look like toys next to him. They were attempting to threaten him, and the amusement on Wrex’s face mirrored Shepard’s own.

“Witnesses say you were seen threatening Fist. Stay away from him.” It was obvious the officer thought he was being menacing.

“I don’t take orders from you. Fist is my bounty, and I always finish my jobs.”

“This is your only warning, Wrex.”

The Krogan laughed, “You should warn Fist. I will kill him.”

The officer was becoming frustrated, “Do you want me to arrest you?”

More laughter boomed out, “I want you to try.” At that moment, Wrex seemed to notice Shepard standing a few metres away, recognition dawning in his blood red eyes. He shouldered past the officer, nearly knocking him over in the process. He came close to Shepard, “Do I know you, Human? You look familiar.”

Shepard smiled up at the Krogan, “I’m Commander Shepard and word on the street is, you’re going after Fist. Figured we could team up. I need him, you need him, it’s a win-win.”

The Krogan was slightly taken aback by her sudden offer but thought on it for a moment, a slow smile spreading across his face, “Commander Shepard, huh? I’ve heard a lot about you.” He came even closer, stopping still his face was less than a foot away from Shepard’s, “We’re both warriors, Shepard. Out of respect, I’ll give you fair warning. I’m going to kill Fist. If you stand in my way, I’ll kill you too.”

Garrus butted into the conversation, “That may be, but Fist knows you’re coming after him. You join us, you have an even better chance of getting to him.”

Wrex nodded, the red-armoured Krogan taking a step back and intoning with wisdom learned after centuries of conflict, “My people have a saying: Seek the enemy of your enemy, and you will find a friend.”

Shepard held out her hand with a grin, “Then I guess that makes us friends.”

Wrex chuckled, “I guess it does.” He shook Shepard’s hand, the grip surprisingly gentle for someone as large as he was. A frightening smirk crossed his face as he bared his teeth slightly, “Let’s go. I’d hate to keep Fist waiting.”

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 12:40pm, 7 th of January 2183**

**Lower Wards, Outside Chora’s Den, Citadel**

 

Shepard strode through the wards with her squad, the usual throng of merchants and buyers completely absent. Even the two Krogans that normally stood guard outside Chora’s Den were gone, no evidence of where they had gone or what they were doing.

Wrex pulled his shotgun free, inspecting the large weapon. Shepard had been eyeing it the entire trip down here, wanting to see it for herself. She was fairly certain the amount of modifications that had been done to it were illegal in Citadel Space, but she wasn’t about to start that argument with the Krogan. “They know we’re coming.”

“Not going to run away, are you Wrex?” Shepard and the Krogan had settled into banter almost straight away, to the rest of their companions’ amusement.

“HA! It just makes it more fun.” They came to the front door of the club, locked tight by magnetic seals. “Time to prepare only makes their deaths that much sweeter.”

Much to Shepard’s joy, she’d discovered Wrex was also a biotic. They stood on opposite sides of the door, reaching out with their dark energy, before Pulling it violently backwards. The door tore in half, crashing onto the floor and sliding away, leaving heavy scratch marks in the floor. Immediately, a hail of bullets sliced through the hole they’d created, imbedding themselves in the wall beyond. Shepard had predicted this, splitting the squad on either side of the entrance.

The moment the gunfire stopped, Shepard nodded at Wrex, both pulling grenades out and tossing them through the entrance. They exploded, the sound of screams as several of Fist’s mercenaries were torn apart by the explosion music to Wrex’s ears. The whole squad charged through the hole, throwing themselves behind cover just as another barrage of gunfire rocketed towards them.

Shepard popped up faster than the mercenaries could get behind their cover, releasing the Singularity she’d been building up in her hand. It hit half of them, lifting them into the air. They flailed frantically, trying to aim and fire with their still overheated weapons. The squad quickly picked them off, Wrex taking out two at once with a single shotgun blast.

“RETREAT!” The call went up, mercenaries all converging on the single door into the club proper. Kaidan Lifted one backwards, while Ashley took the shot. Garrus fired several times, every bullet from his sniper-rifle hitting each of his targets with lethal efficiency.

Shepard caught sight of the interior of the club just as the doors closed. Fist had a mercenary at every position a bartender would normally be. Every table had been overturned with another troop behind each. They would have to burst in and take out as many as they could to prevent their own casualties.

Before she could formulate a plan, Wrex stood up roaring and took a running start, his entire body wreathed in dark energy. He burst through the door, the metal and glass ripping apart like it was paper. “I AM KROGAN!”

The rest of the squad charged quickly after him, firing at every enemy that attempted to injure them. Wrex was a machine, taking out enemies left and right, ignoring the bullets deflecting away from his barrier. He reached over the bar, grabbing the terrified mercenary and tossing him one handed at another near a wall. His body crashed through the table, taking his ally to the ground with him. Wrex fired a single shotgun blast at them, disabling both.

Shepard’s squad all crouched in front of the bar, avoiding the bullet-filled air. The music of the club still pulsed through the air, almost drowning out the gunfire. “Not a fan of strategy then?” Shepard had to practically yell to get the Krogan next to her to hear her.

“Krogan don’t do strategy, Shepard.” Just to prove his point, he pulled a grenade from his waist, tossing it all the way to the other side of the club without even checking where he’d thrown it. The explosion brought with it yelps of pain and a smile to Wrex’s face.

Shepard pressed a button on her gauntlet, her helmet folding back into her neck armour. She stuck her hand over the bar, using her biotics to Pull whatever she could into her grip. She came away with a three-quarter filled bottle. She smoothed out the label, “Asari-made vodka?” She took a swig, impressed with how close they’d gotten the taste. “Not bad.” She pressed the button once more, helmet covering her head again. Shepard took Ashley’s pistol out of her hand, modded with incendiary ammo. “Just gonna borrow this for a second.”

With a biotically charged throw, the bottle careened in a straight line across the bar. The container didn’t even have time to get closer to the ground before Shepard aimed and fired, the bottle nearly hitting a mercenary in the face. The bullet instantly set the alcohol alight, flames exploding outwards from the small vessel. The mercenary was able to jump backwards, but the flames still caught up with him, singing some of the hair off his unprotected head and leaving him with burns on his arms.

She tossed the gun back to Ashley, grinning at the other woman. Wrex roared with laughter, “I like you Human. You might even be part Krogan.”

Shepard made a few quick hand signals to her squad, all of them trained enough to know what they meant. She got to her feet, Garrus following her and hiding behind the barrier Shepard produced. The Turian took a running start before Shepard Lifted him up and over the bar, Garrus rolling onto the top where the Asari-dancers usually were. Ashley and Kaidan started left while Shepard and Wrex ran right. Garrus took up position, taking out any mercenary that got too close to either pair. Shepard could see targeting-calculations rushing across his visor even from this distance.

The five of them worked in unison, driving the mercenaries into the back rooms of the club, shooting the ones who were too slow. Shepard and Wrex’s barriers deflected most of the shots fired at them, most of the rest were glancing shots that barely scratched their armour. Shepard watched as several bullets completely penetrated Wrex’s armour and a small spray of blood issued forth from each of the holes. Wrex didn’t seem to notice the injuries, not slowing his progress at all.

Kaidan protected the both of them while Ashley unleashed her assault rifle into the faltering enemy. The L2 was able to throw several mercenaries into the air, perfect for the Turian above them to take out.

Soon, the room was empty save for the five of them and the bodies of their foes. Garrus leapt down from the top, landing heavily on his feet and taking another position opposite the next door. Shepard inspected it, “Bit tougher than the front entrance. But…” She went to the control panel, smashing it open with the butt of her assault rifle. “Always a way through.” She pulled out several wires, finding the ones she was looking for. “Ready?” Her four companions nodded, each holding a grenade and ready to charge once more.

Twisting and cutting several of them, Shepard connected the wires, forcing the magnetic lock to disengage and the door to flow open. She threw her own grenade, four more soon passing through the open doorway. “GET DOWN!” The mercenaries cry of shock was cut short as the explosion rocked through the room beyond. A billow of flame and debris flew out, all five invaders springing into action and sprinting through the smoke.

Only two Krogan and a few Humans remained of the club’s defence, heavily injured by the blast but still able to fight. Shepard and Wrex attacked as one, hands outstretched in front of them with barriers blocking any retaliation the defenders threw at them. With perfect timing, both Human and Krogan Battlemaster released their barriers and punched forward with bone-crunching force. Both enemy Krogan were taken off their feet, their sternums shattering on impact and more bones crumbling as they collided with the wall behind them. As they attempted to get back to their feet, Shepard and Wrex fired twin shotgun blasts, ending their fight. Garrus, Ashley and Kaidan followed close behind mowing down the enemies the two biotics had missed.

The five of them charged round the next corner, finally confronted by an open doorway, the man they’d come to see… and his two turrets. “My men might be all dead, but you won’t get me!”

As the turrets powered up, the squad quickly ducked back around the corner, a torrent of bullets passing through the space they’d just been. Shepard stuck her head slightly around the corner, the turrets’ targeting software immediately aiming at the threat. She barely got back around in time, a scratch on the side of her helmet evidence of how close a call it had been.

“Well, this is going to be annoying to get through.” Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. Turning to Wrex, she whispered what she wanted from him in his ear.

Wrex roared with laughter at the idea. “You’ve got a quad, Shepard. Let’s do this.”

Shepard got just behind the Krogan, the huge red-armoured biotic producing the strongest barrier he could. He stepped around the corner, immediately assaulted by the turrets fire power. Wrex grunted with the effort, holding steady and marching forward. Shepard followed just behind him, charging herself up for the next movement.

With a foot into Wrex’s lower back and her hands on his shoulders, Shepard pushed herself into a handstand over the Krogan’s head before leaping through the air in front of him. She flipped in mid-air, slamming her left foot down with all the biotic strength she could muster. A shockwave of dark energy pulsed from the point of impact, shattering the turrets into pieces, throwing the man from behind his desk and producing a large dent in the wall behind him.

Shepard casually stood up, rolling her neck side to side while drawing her assault rifle out. She strode forward to the desk, taking aim at the man in a heap on the other side, “Fist, I presume?” Fist’s eyes betrayed the wrath on his face, filled with fear of the five people in front of him. “I believe we can help each other.”

Fist spat blood onto the ground as his mouth twisted into a sneer, “Why the fuck would I help you? You’ve killed my men and broken into my club. I don’t have to do anything for you.”

Shepard laughed, almost doubling over, “Oh yes you do. See, my friend here, has a contract on you. Now I’m not entirely certain on the details of it, but I’m going to assume it ends with your head on a platter for the Shadow Broker! How fun!” She strode around the desk, squatting in front of Fist and tapping the side of her assault rifle. “So, you either tell me what I want to know, or Wrex here gets to do what he does best.”

The bright smile from the Human in front of him made all the colour drain from Fist’s face. Luckily for him, the man saw reason, “Okay, okay. What do you need to know?”

The smile disappeared from Shepard’s face, “Where is the Quarian?” Her tone was utterly serious, daring Fist to give her the wrong answer.

“Dead.”

Shepard’s hand flashed out surrounded by dark energy, back handing Fist across the face, “Don’t lie to me.”

Fist’s hand came up to clutch at his broken cheekbone and attempt to protect himself from further strikes, “She’s not here! She would only deal with the Shadow Broker directly, so I had to set her up a meeting!”

Wrex scoffed behind Shepard, “No one has ever met the Shadow Broker. Even I had to go through an agent.”

“Yes, but she didn’t know that! I said I’d set up a meeting. But…” He swallowed, looking into Shepard’s furious eyes, “It’ll be Saren’s men waiting for her, and they’ll kill her with no questions.”

Shepard grabbed the edge of Fist’s neck armour, lifting him to his feet and slamming him into the wall, “Tell me where and when the meeting is. Now.”

Fist stammered out the words, “The back alley behind the markets! She’s supposed to meet them in a few minutes. You’ll never make it in time.”

Shepard let go of the man, his body collapsing in a heap to the ground. “He’s all yours, Wrex.” She immediately began to run out of the office, all but Wrex following behind. The Krogan paused for a moment, looking down at the terrified Human. He simply raised his shotgun, the barrel inches from Fist’s chest.

“Please… don’t-” Wrex fired, a new hole in the Human’s chest splattering blood and gore across the wall behind him. Wrex called up his omni-tool, sending the message to his employer before sprinting after Shepard and her squad.

He was Wrex. Krogan Battlemaster. And he always finished his jobs.

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 1:10pm, 7 th of January 2183**

**Deserted Alley, Lower Wards, Citadel**

The Quarian stood anxiously, waiting for the Shadow Broker to show up. She folded her hands over one another to try to quell her nerves. He was late. How could the most powerful information broker in the galaxy be late?

A door hissing open at the end of the alley caused her to jump, turning her attention to three people as they strode in. A Turian and two Salarians strutted toward her, acting like they owned the place. For all she knew, they did.

“Did you bring it?” The Turian’s question caused the Quarian to take a step back, suspicious of his tone.

“Where’s the Shadow Broker? Where’s Fist?”

The Turian chuckled, “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it. They’ll be here soon. We’re just here to collect the package.”

The Quarian drew her shotgun, “No. The deal’s off.”

“Why you fucking little suit rat…”

As the Turian prepared to attack, the door at the other end of the alley opened, revealing three Humans, a Turian and a Krogan. The Quarian dove backwards, tossing a stun grenade and scrambling behind cover as the other three fired on the five. The new group acted with perfect precision, making their way behind small crates dotted around the alley and returning fire at the same time.

The Quarian pulled up her omni-tool, rapidly hacking through the firewalls surrounding all eight of the alley’s occupants armour and weapons. She considered her options. The three men who claimed to be working for the Shadow Broker were definitely her enemy. Their conversation had proved that much. She couldn’t be sure of the other five. So far, they hadn’t even attempted to attack her, paying her no mind where she hid from the action. The leader of the five glanced in her direction, making direct eye contact with her even through the opaque visor of her helmet.

Something about this Human made the Quarian trust her. She pointed at her shotgun, then over at the three men she was sure were her enemies. She mimed touching her gun as though it was boiling hot then held up her three-fingered hand, counting down slowly. The Human’s eyes flitted to the three attackers then back to the Quarian’s eyes in understanding, nodding her agreement.

The moment the final finger came down, she input the command. The Human leader leapt over her cover, charging across the alley at her three enemies. The Quarian noticed she hadn’t even bothered to raise her weapon, her assault rifle hanging loosely in her hands. The Turian and both Salarians stood up and aimed, pulling the trigger to mow down the Human who thought she could catch them by surprise with such a risky tactic.

All at once, their three weapons overheated, superheated gas spraying out of the vents on their sides. With one more command from the Quarian, their shields overloaded, the slight wave in the air that normally accompanied the defensive measure sparking out. Even through the Human’s helmet, the Quarian knew there was a smile on her face.

The Human slammed the butt of her rifle into the Turian’s face, throwing him from his feet with a small spurt of viscous blue blood. The Salarians moved in to engage her, but she was ready. Blocking both blows, she grabbed the front of their armour and used her biotics to toss them both back towards her waiting squad. The Krogan caught one of them with a small laugh, instantly slamming the unfortunate individual into the ground. The other crashed into the ground, but managed to get back to his feet and attempt a counter attack. His wrist was caught by the blue-armoured Turian before a three-taloned hand slammed into his torso. The blow threw him to land squarely next to the waiting Quarian.

The omni-tool came down, an overload prepared as it touched to the centre of his chest. With no shield to attack, the electric surge conducted through the Salarian’s armour, electrocuting him into unconscious and finally to death. The Quarian fell backwards away from the body. She’d panicked and done the only thing she could think of. She’d never killed anyone before, but since arriving on the Citadel, she’d known that would change rapidly.

The Human leader gave the Turian a chance to get back on his feet, even stowing her assault rifle to make it a fairer fight. She held up her hands, blue dark energy curling around her fists. The Turian scowled and charged her, attempting to use his far superior height to his advantage. His first blow was toward her head, turned aside and answered by a strong punch to his gut. He quickly recovered, swinging his leg round to try and take hers out from beneath her. Instead, she simply jumped up, bringing her knee into a hard collision with the Turian’s chin. Landing back on the ground, she punched forward, shattering his chest plate and forcing every last bit of breath out of his lungs. Before the Human could strike the final blow, the Krogan strode forward, ending the fight with one shotgun blast to the chest.

The five members of the squad stowed their weapons, the leading Human striding over to the Quarian as her helmet folded back into her neck armour, releasing her mane of red hair. She held her hand out to the Quarian, a kind smile on her face, “Are you alright?”

The Quarian froze for a moment. Ever since arriving on the Citadel, she’d been treated with nothing but contempt and mistrust. This sort of treatment was unfortunately normal for her people in most places around the galaxy, she knew that. It still hadn’t prepared her for how much it hurt. After being shot, the first six medical clinics she went to refused to serve her, turning the young woman away despite the obvious stain of blood spreading across her enviro-suit. She’d finally found Dr Michel, who’d treated her without comment. The Quarian had spilled almost everything about her predicament to the Doctor as her way of coping with the sudden shock of her journey through the space station.

Now, here she was, confronted by another Human woman, asking whether she was okay. It didn’t help that this woman was strikingly beautiful, at least in her eyes. The Quarian thanked the Ancestors that the Human wouldn’t be able to see the sudden light blush currently spreading its way across her cheeks.

She took the hand, allowing herself to be pulled back to her feet. “I-I-I’m fine, thanks.” She swallowed, trying to calm her racing heart from the battle that had just unfolded. “I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come along when you did. Thank you for that.”

The Human grinned, “No thanks necessary. I’m just glad we got here in time. You weren’t hurt in the fight, were you?”

The Quarian was slightly annoyed at the question. People always assumed she couldn’t handle herself, either because of her race or the fact that she was an engineer rather than a soldier. “I know how to look after myself. No wounds here. Besides, I’m pretty sure I won that fight for you.”

The Human laughed heartily, “You did yes. Amazing work by the way.” The Quarian suddenly realised she still had access to all of their weapons and suits, quickly shutting her omni-tool’s background hacks off.

All five looked down at their armour, realising they’d been compromised the entire fight. The other female Human expressed her opinion of the Quarian’s actions, “Why you little-”

She was interrupted by the lead Human’s boisterous laughter. “Oh my god. That’s amazing.” She wiped a tear from her eye, “Great instincts. Always assume people with guns coming at you are trying to kill you.” She gave a disarming smile to the Quarian, “I think we’ll get along just fine.”

The Quarian was surprised at the reaction, assuming the woman would be angry for what she’d done. She decided to press on and pay it no mind, “If you don’t mind me asking, who are you?”

“Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy. I’m looking for evidence against a Turian Spectre, Saren. He’s a traitor to the Citadel, and I plan to prove it.”

Even the Quarian had heard of the Commander. Stories of her heroics during the Skyllian Blitz had reached even the Flotilla. And now there were rumours of her being made a Spectre. It would seem she had stumbled across the perfect person to help her.

“I think I have what you need, Commander. Take it as thanks for saving my life. But not here. We need to go somewhere safe.”

Garrus spoke up, the Turian C-Sec officer giving the only option that had even popped into Shepard’s head, “What about the Human embassy? We’ll need your ambassador to get a meeting with the Council for this anyway, so it’s the best place to start.”

“As good a plan as I would’ve thought of.” Shepard began to lead them away from the alley before stopping and turning back to the Quarian, “I don’t think I caught your name. Would be rude of me to just refer to you as, ‘The Quarian’.”

“Oh!” She wasn’t prepared for the charming grin on Shepard’s face, but managed to stammer out an answer, “Tali’Zorah nar Rayya.”

Shepard held out a hand, “A pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

Tali shook the offered hand, amazed at how courteous this Human was being. She’d been accosted by enough Humans to know this wasn’t normal, even for the relatively new and open-minded race. This was further proven by the slightly dismissive look on the other Human woman’s face in the Commander’s squad. Tali chose to ignore this, and follow Shepard to the Human embassy.

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 1:30pm, 7 th of January 2183**

**Ambassador Udina’s Office, Human Embassy, Citadel**

 

Shepard strode through the door to Udina’s office, Humanity’s representative standing on the other side of the room staring out the window. Shepard noted how clenched his fists were behind his back. She was surprised there wasn’t small drops of blood coming from his palm with how hard his nails must have been digging into his palm.

“You’re making my job very difficult, Shepard.” The venom in the Ambassador’s voice was clear, furious with the soldier behind him. “Firefights in the ward. A full-frontal assault on Chora’s Den. I've half a mind to court martial you if the Council doesn’t do it first.” He turned around, “What the hell were you-” Udina’s words stopped as he eyed the three aliens now standing in his office. The Turian was fine, he knew that Garrus was the C-Sec officer in charge of the investigation into Saren and that Shepard had found him was good for them. But, the Quarian was a mystery and the huge Krogan was as threatening as any he’d seen. “And who are these... individuals, you’ve brought with you, Commander?”

Shepard narrowed her eyes at Udina’s tone, but bit her tongue at the scathing retort she could have given, Captain Anderson giving her a stern look from where he stood just behind Udina, “Garrus, the C-Sec officer investigating Saren. Wrex, Krogan bounty hunter. And Tali’Zorah nar Rayya, who has evidence I believe will prove Saren’s a traitor to the Council.”

Udina perked up at the mention of this possibility, but his answer still contained a portion of the venom he previously had for Shepard, “We don’t see many Quarians here. Why did you leave the Flotilla?”

Tali didn’t seem to notice the Ambassador’s disdain for her, or at least Shepard hoped she didn’t, “I left to travel for my Pilgrimage. It’s a rite of passage into adulthood for my people.”

Tali was talking more to Shepard than she was Udina, which annoyed the Ambassador if his expression was anything to go by, but Shepard kept talking before Udina could interrupt her, “What do you do on the Pilgrimage exactly?”

The Quarian was more than happy to provide the answer, an almost sing-song quality to her voice, “We leave the ships of our birth and travel until we find something of value. Resources, technology or even just new information to help the Flotilla. It proves we’re worthy of adulthood and won’t be a burden on whatever ship decides to take us in when we return.”

Shepard was intrigued, “And how did your Pilgrimage wind up with you tangling with Saren’s goons?”

Tali became far more sombre, “I’d heard rumours of the Geth pretty soon after starting my Pilgrimage. Since they hadn’t been seen beyond the Veil in centuries, I decided to find out what I could.” She looked down at her hands, suddenly nervous, “I was curious about them.” She looked back up into the eager eyes of the Commander, completely rapt in listening, “I tracked a group of them to an uncharted world. It took some doing, but I managed to lure one away from the group and disable it. Then it was a simple matter of removing its memory core. Well, simple for me anyway.”

“I thought the Geth destroyed their memory cores as soon as they were killed? A defence mechanism to ensure we can’t learn anything about what they want?” Anderson was almost as attentive as Shepard, but Tali’s focus only shifted to him for but a moment.

“They do, yes. But if you’re fast enough, you can get a little bit of information from them.” She called up her omni-tool, shifting through several lots of data before speaking again, “The memory core I retrieved was almost completely wiped of anything useful.” Udina glared at Shepard at this admission, “But, I did manage to save an audio file from its memory banks. If you’re trying to prove Saren’s a traitor, I think it’ll help, Commander.”

The moment Tali clicked the final button, Saren’s arrogant voice filled the office, “ _Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit._ ”

Shepard grinned as Anderson said what they were all thinking, “This proves Saren was at least involved in the attack on Eden Prime! The Council will have to listen to us now! This is exactly the evidence we need.”

Shepard’s grin only grew, “Then let’s go get this son of a bitch.”

Tali had to grab the Commander’s arm to prevent her from marching straight out the door, “Shepard, wait. There’s more to the recording. Saren wasn’t working alone. I don’t know who it is, but it would be best if you have all the facts before facing the Council.”

Shepard nodded, Tali continuing the playback, “ _And one step closer to the return of the Reapers._ ” The voice was female, but not distinct enough to know exactly what species. They could rule out Turian and Krogan but little else.

Udina’s expression grew puzzled, “Saren’s voice is obvious, but the second voice… I don’t recognise it. Realistically it could be anyone. If they’re in league with Saren they’re a traitor, but we can’t accuse them if we don’t know them.”

The vision she’d received from the beacon flashed through Shepard’s mind without her even thinking about it, “Why do I feel like I’ve heard the name Reapers before?”

Tali provided the answer, “According to the Geth’s memory core, the Reapers were a race of hyper-advanced machines that existed 50,000 years ago. They hunted the Protheans to extinction before they vanished without a trace they were even here. At least, that’s what the Geth believe.”

Udina scoffed at the notion, “Sounds like a fairy-tale made up by an overactive imagination.” He glared at the Quarian, Tali withering slightly under his stare.

Shepard stepped slightly in front of Tali, drawing Udina’s attention away from the poor woman, “No. I think Tali’s right. Maybe my vision wasn’t showing the Geth. Maybe it was showing the Reapers exterminating the Protheans, a last record of survival before their utter annihilation. It makes a whole lot more sense than it being about Geth.”

Tali gave a grateful smile to Shepard, or at least, that’s what Shepard thought she saw through the Quarian’s opaque visor, “The Geth revere the Reapers as gods, the perfect example of non-organic life. And if the memory core is to be believed, they think Saren will be able to bring them back. It would explain why the Geth would help an organic at all.”

Udina sighed, gripping the bridge of his nose between two fingers, “The Council will definitely believe this.”

“The Reapers are a threat to all of us, no matter what species. And, we won’t know what they think until we tell them.”

Shepard could see that Anderson agreed with her, “Even if they don’t believe us, the audio proves that Saren is a traitor! They’ll have to listen to it.”

Udina turned his attention to Tali once more, “And what about the Quarian?”

Shepard almost punched Udina right then and there before Tali responded, “My name is Tali!” She was obviously sick of being treated as though she wasn’t even in the room.

“She’s with me, Ambassador. Of course, if that’s alright with you, Tali.”

“Definitely.”

Shepard led her squad out of the room, leaving Udina and Anderson to themselves.

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 2:30pm, 7 th of January 2183**

**Citadel Council Chambers, Citadel**

 

Shepard had been struggling to keep the grin off her face the entire way to the room. The fact that they now had the evidence to wipe the floor with Saren was enough to put her in a seemingly permanent good mood.

She walked into the room just as Saren’s audio recording was being played for the Council. The look on each of the Councillor’s faces said it all. Disgust, surprise and most of all the look of complete and utter betrayal. Even the Turian Councillor seemed to be shaken to his core, leaning heavily forward on the small console in front of him.

Udina was his smug self, waving his hand almost dismissively at the three members of the Council, “You wanted proof. There it is.”

The Turian across the room from them audibly swallowed, responding shakily to the Ambassador’s words, “This evidence is irrefutable, no matter how much we may desire it not be. As of this moment, Saren is no longer a Spectre. All privileges and status is henceforth revoked. Furthermore, all efforts will be made to bring him in, so that justice may be served for those who perished at Eden Prime and any other atrocities Saren may have committed.” The grin Shepard had been trying to contain spread across her face.

The Asari Councillor had gone several shades lighter blue, “I recognise the voice at the end of the recording with Saren. It’s Matriarch Benezia.”

“Who’s Matriarch Benezia?” Udina turned on Shepard with an annoyed glare.

If the Asari took any offence to Shepard’s sudden question, she didn’t show it, “Matriarch’s are some of the most powerful individuals in Asari space. They are in their final stages of life and are revered for their wisdom and experience. They guide our people into the future. Benezia in particular is among the most powerful biotics you are ever likely to meet.” Shepard crossed her arms and flared her biotics slightly, just enough for the Councillor to notice, “You are impressive by Human and even most Asari standards, Commander. But Benezia is on a different level completely. She had many followers, and she will make a formidable ally for Saren.”

“That aside, I am more interested in the Reapers Matriarch Benezia mentioned. What do you know about them?” The Salarian Councillor’s interest had been piqued.

Anderson answered, Udina turning his glare at him, “Only what Miss Zorah here could extract from the Geth’s memory core.” Tali was again surprised of another polite alien. Shepard smiled at her, the Quarian quickly avoiding her gaze. “The Reapers were a race of ancient, hyper-advanced machines. They exterminated the Protheans, then vanished without a trace.”

“The Geth believe the Reapers are gods. And Saren is the prophet able to bring them back.” Shepard continued before Udina could talk.

“We believe the Conduit is the key to the Reaper’s return. Saren’s searching for it. And that’s why Saren attacked Eden Prime.”

The Salarian Councillor almost scoffed at their response, “Do we even know what this Conduit might be?”

Shepard piped up in response, “If Saren needs it to bring back the Reapers, does it really matter what it is? We just need to get the Conduit and destroy it before he can get his hands on it!”

“Enough, Commander.” The Turian Councillor silenced the Human with his stern tone, “Do you really think Saren wants to bring back machines that wiped out nearly all advanced life forms in the galaxy? Impossible. It has to be.” He leaned forward, an accusing stare levelled at the biotic, “If the Reapers were even real, why haven’t we found any evidence of their existence before now? Where did they go after wiping out the Protheans? Why did they disappear? If they were real, we would have found at least something by now.”

Shepard was becoming angrier at each word that passed the Turian’s mandibles, “The Reapers are real! I saw them wiping out the Protheans.” Before she could be interrupted, Shepard pressed on, needing to prove she was right, “You didn’t listen to me about Saren being a traitor. I’m not in the habit of lying when talking about galactic annihilation! Don’t make the same mistake again and ignore me now.”

The Asari Councillor sighed, drumming her fingers along the podium in front of her, “This is different, Commander. You proved that Saren betrayed us, and we have accepted that as truth. We have done all in our power to ensure he will be brought to justice. We realise he’s using the Geth to search for this Conduit, but until we have evidence proving it one way or another, we don’t know why.”

The ever logical Salarian Councillor stepped in, “It’s obvious that Saren is just using a fantastical myth to ensure the Geth remain obedient. A cover up to hide his true goal, whatever that may be.”

Shepard exploded, a small wave of dark energy cascading off an accusing finger as she pointed at the Council, “My vision proves they’re real! Fifty thousand years ago the Reapers wiped out galactic civilisation! If Saren succeeds, they’ll just come back and do it again! Do you really think we can stop them when we barely understand half of the Prothean’s technology?! The Reapers wiped them out and they’ll do exactly the same to us!”

The Turian across from her responded with some bite in his voice, “Saren is no longer a Spectre and is currently on the run for his life. He has none of his previous access to resources or privileges afforded to Spectres. The Council has stripped him of all that he has built up. It is only a matter of time before we catch him.”

“THAT’S NOT ENOUGH!” Anderson placed a firm grip on the Commander’s shoulder to prevent her from doing anything stupid.

Udina, surprising both Shepard and the group behind him, stepped in, “I agree with the Commander. You know he’s hiding in the traverse! Send in the Citadel fleet to root the traitor out!”

“A fleet cannot find a single man, Ambassador.” The Asari had gained back the normal blue hue of her skin and was fixing Humanity’s representative with a pointed glare.

“But it can protect the entire region! Prevent the Geth from attacking anymore of our colonies!”

“Or, in a far more likely scenario, it will trigger a war with the Terminus Systems.” The Turian Councillor lived up to his race’s reputation of being the militaristic strategist behind the Council. “I will not let the Citadel fleet be dragged into a full-scale war over a few dozen Human colonies!”

Shepard was watching the entire exchange unfold, a plan forming in her mind. It was her only shot to take down Saren and prevent the war the Council wanted so desperately to avoid. “Then just send me.” Everyone in the room turned their gaze to stare at the Human biotic, “One ship travelling near the Terminus, no matter who it belongs to, will not start a war. I can go after Saren with little to no repercussions to Humanity or the Citadel.”

The Council was slightly taken aback by the suggestion. The Asari Councillor was the first to collect her thoughts, “I believe the Commander is right. There would no need to send the fleet in, and the Commander can bring Saren to justice without starting a war.”

The Turian on the other hand, did not agree with Shepard’s idea, “No! It’s too soon. Humanity is not ready for the responsibility of having one of their own join the ranks of the Spectres!”

Shepard surged forward, shrugging off Anderson’s hand and almost pushing Udina out of the way, “Haven’t I done enough?! I proved one of your best agents has been a traitor for god knows how long! I followed the leads; I found the evidence you needed! I’ve proven myself! Humanity has earned this right.”

The look on the Turian’s face was one of utter insult. He almost yelled back at the Commander before looking at the hard stares of his colleagues. The expression melted from him to one of defeat and finally acceptance, as he nodded. All three raised their hands and clicked something on their consoles. Shepard gave a quick scan of the room. The balconies surrounding the chamber were filled with people, many of them turning from their conversations to have their complete attention on the proceedings in front of them.

The Asari Councillor did the speaking, the Turian begrudgingly staying quiet for now, “Commander Shepard. It is the decision of the Council that you be granted all the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel.”

The Salarian continued, “Spectres are chosen not trained. Individuals forged in the fire of service and battle; those whose actions elevate them above the rank and file.”

“Spectres are an ideal, a symbol. The embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will.” Shepard could tell from the way that the Asari spoke that this was a prepared speech. Something that was always said when a new individual joined the ranks of the Spectres.

The Turian was next. He surprised Shepard by not having the same tone of derision that he had previously had when talking about her admission into the Spectres, “Spectres bear a great burden. They are the protectors of galactic peace. Both our first and last line of defence. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold.”

Shepard thought she saw a slight smile on the Asari Councillor’s face, “You are the first Human to be made a Spectre, Commander. This is a great accomplishment for both you and your entire species.”

Shepard was almost tempted to say something snarky, but relented and simply saluted the three of them, “Thank you. This is a great honour.”

The three somehow turned even more serious, the Salarian giving the Commander her first orders as a Spectre, “You are to travel into the traverse and apprehend the traitor Saren. He’s a fugitive from the justice of the Citadel, so you are authorised to use any and all means necessary. You may either apprehend or eliminate the threat as you see fit.”

“This meeting of the Council is adjourned.”

The moment the Council was out of sight, Shepard allowed the huge smile to spread across her face. Anderson held out his hand, eagerly shook by the ecstatic Commander, “Congratulations, Shepard. You earned this.”

Udina had already brought up his omni-tool, firing away messages with impressive speed, “We’ve got a lot of work to do. You’ll need a ship, a crew and supplies.” He thought for a moment, not even sparing a glance at Shepard, “Come with me Captain. I’ll need your help to see all this up.”

Wrex watched the two men walk away, staring a hole into Udina’s back, “Not even a thank you. Ungrateful ass.”

“I think you’ve narrowed my opinion of Udina down to two words Wrex.”

“You don’t get to my age without learning to read people. Udina wouldn’t thank you if you single-handedly saved his life from a thresher maw.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Shepard led her companions a short way away from the Citadel Council’s chambers, trying to find a place they might not be overheard. She turned back to them looking at each in turn, “Udina was right about one thing. I’m going to need a crew. And I’d like all of you on it.”

They all looked between each other, not entirely surprised by Shepard’s offer but still slightly rattled by it.

“I’ll follow you anywhere, Commander.” Kaidan responded almost immediately, Shepard nodding gratefully.

“As long as you’re still serving the Alliance and sticking it to Saren, I’m there.” Ashely saluted her superior.

Garrus crossed his arms and nodded, “I said I’d be there when you took Saren down, and I intend to keep that promise. Frankly, C-Sec can go screw itself. I’m not missing this.” The Turian’s response earned a small chuckle from Shepard.

Wrex laughed, “You’ve gotten into more trouble in the last few hours than most people do in several years. No way I’m missing that.”

Finally, Shepard turned to Tali. The Quarian was of course grateful to Shepard for what she’d done, but wasn’t sure if it was the best idea to agree to a mission that could quite possibly end in her death. Her thoughts were stopped by Shepard’s voice, sensing that she was conflicted over the situation, “It’s an offer Tali, not an order. You can return to your pilgrimage if you want.”

Tali was still surprised by Shepard’s understanding, even though she knew she shouldn’t be. Shepard was different than even her peers. She actually saw the person underneath the mask, not just the race that it indicated. “I’ll do it. I’ll help you stop Saren. I want my pilgrimage to mean something, not just help my people, but maybe help everyone.”

A grin spread across Shepard’s face, “I was hoping you’d say something like that.”

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 4:30pm, 7 th of January 2183**

**Normandy Docking Bay, Citadel**

 

Shepard stood among her companions riding the elevator up to the Normandy’s docking bay. After getting a few supplies and other necessities, they’d been making their way to Udina’s office before Shepard had received a cryptic message from Captain Anderson. There were only a few words, but gave no indication of what she should expect.

_Shepard,_

_Come to the Normandy’s docking bay ASAP._

She’d turned them all around immediately and made her way as fast as she could towards the ship’s dock. As always, the Citadel’s elevators were taking their sweet time bringing them towards their destination. Shepard swore the Protheans must’ve been trying to mess with anyone who visited the Citadel if this was how they seriously designed the vital transportation links in the space station.

Finally, the door opened to the view of the Normandy, the nebula surrounding the Citadel and Ambassador Udina talking quietly with Captain Anderson. They ceased whatever they’d been discussing as soon as Shepard got within earshot of their conversation.

“Shepard. I’ve got big news for you.” He gestured to Anderson almost flippantly, “Captain Anderson is stepping down as commanding officer of the Normandy. The ship is yours, Commander.”

Shepard’s mouth fell open at the words, confused to say the least at the sudden turn of events. Anderson filled the silence, “She’s the perfect ship for a Spectre, Shepard. Quick, quiet and you already know the crew. You’ll need the Normandy if you’re going to take down Saren.”

“With all due respect, sir, I can’t accept the Normandy. She’s your ship.” Shepard would refuse this to the bitter end if she had to. Taking the command of the Normandy away from Anderson was practically sentencing him to desk duty for the remainder of his career.

“It’s already been decided, Shepard. You need a ship, and I can better serve the Alliance elsewhere. A Spectre can’t answer to anyone but the Council, so having me continue as Captain of the Normandy would only be another hurdle in your way.” Anderson brought his hand up in salute, “Treat her well, Commander.”

Shepard could see from the look in his eyes that there would be no arguing the point, no matter how much she both wanted and needed to. “Thank you, sir. I’ll do my best.” She paused, letting it sink in that she now had command of the most advanced ship in the Alliance fleet. Her attention returned quickly, “Any news on Saren?”

Anderson quickly shook his head vehemently, “He’s gone. Don’t even try to find him. You’ve got one advantage over him. You know what he’s after; the Conduit. There’s been dozens of reports of Geth all over the Traverse searching for something. We have to assume they’re all working for Saren.”

Udina handed Shepard a datapad, outlining their findings, “There were reports of Geth in the Feros system shortly before our colony there went completely off the grid. And there have been sightings around Noveria. Though I’d be careful if you plan to go there. It’s outside Council jurisdiction and the companies who have labs there aren’t known for being friendly to prying eyes.”

“You’ll need to go to both anyway. Find out what Saren wants at each. Maybe you can figure out where the Conduit is before he does.” Anderson sounded far more sure of Shepard’s chances than Udina. Shepard knew the Captain had the utmost faith in her abilities. Udina on the other hand had doubted her every step of the way so far. She would be glad to prove the arrogant man wrong.

“What about the Reapers? Any clues as to why Saren wants them to return?”

Shepard’s question was met with a stern stare from Udina, “I’m with the Council on this one. I’m not even sure if they exist.”

“If there’s even a chance they do exist, the Conduit is the key to bringing them back. Stop Saren from getting it and we stop the Reapers from returning.” Anderson’s confidence was infectious, renewing Shepard’s vigour for the upcoming mission.

“Any other leads?”

“Only one other. Matriarch Benezia, the other voice in the recording. She has a daughter. A scientist who specializes in Protheans. She may be useful in determining why Benezia is helping Saren and the Geth.” Udina spoke about the Asari as though she was just a footnote on the hunt for Saren, “We don’t know if she’s involved with Benezia herself, but it might be a good idea to try and find her. See what, if anything, she knows. Her names Liara. Dr. Liara T’Soni. The only news of her location is that she was exploring an archaeological dig on an uncharted world in the Artemis Tau cluster.”

Shepard considered her options. She would have to visit all three sites, but it was hard to decide which one was the correct one. She looked up, realising everyone was staring at her and awaiting her decision. She went with her gut, “I’ll go after the Dr. first. She might even be able to lead us straight to Saren and we can bypass Feros and Noveria entirely.”

“You’re a Spectre now Shepard. You don’t answer to us, only to the Council.”

Udina was quick to counteract Anderson’s words, “But don’t forget, your actions still reflect on Humanity as a whole. You make a mess and I’m stuck to clean it up.”

“I’ll do my best to make sure your job is easier then, Ambassador.” Shepard replied through gritted teeth.

If Udina noticed Shepard’s annoyance, he made no show of it, “Glad to hear it, Commander. Remember: you were a Human long before you were a Spectre.”

Without so much as a word in farewell, Udina strode off and got on the elevator.

“Good luck, Shepard. We’re counting on you. The galaxy is counting on you.”

“Gee, way to lower my confidence, Anderson.” Shepard’s grin only grew wider as she shook Anderson’s hand.

“You’d get too big an ego otherwise. And besides, maybe I can finally get back at you for disobeying my orders on Elysium.”

Shepard laughed, “You know, I was really hoping you’d forget about that one day.”

“No such luck. Now that you’re a Spectre, it’ll be easier to remember.” Anderson saluted one final time, “You’ll get Saren, Shepard. I know you will.”

“Thank you, sir.” Anderson walked off, the elevator taking him away. Shepard spent a moment staring at the closed doors before turning back to the waiting airlock onto the Normandy, “Right. No time like the present I suppose. We better get moving.”

All six of them walked up to the airlock, waiting for the thick metal door to open up and let them in.

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 5:15pm, 7 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Widow System**

Shepard strode towards the cockpit, greeting any of the crew members who did the same to her.

It had felt wrong to move the few personal possessions she brought with her into the CO’s quarters, knowing the room really belonged to someone else. She knew she had to do it to keep up appearances, but it still didn’t sit right that they’d taken the ship from Captain Anderson so suddenly. Joker agreed with her, the first words out of mouth indicating as such.

“Survives a hundred battle, only to be taken down by backroom politics. Figures.”

“I needed a ship. Didn’t want to take it off Anderson, but this is the best one for taking down Saren.”

“I’d watch your back if I were you. Though, with your record, we’ll have Saren dead to rights in a week,” Joker looked back at Shepard, staring out into space next to his chair. “You feeling up to making an inspiring speech?”

She grinned down at the pilot, “But I haven’t prepared anything.”

“Pfft, you give better speeches off the top of your head than most people do with weeks of planning. If I can sit through one of the Admiralty Board’s speeches on ‘Proper Starship Formation when facing a superior enemy’, I can listen to you all day.”

“Open up the intercom then.” Joker clicked a small button on his chair, Shepard clearing her throat before speaking, “This is Commander Shepard. I know some of you are still reeling from the decision for Captain Anderson to step down as your CO. Believe me, I’m feeling the same way. But we have to move past it. We’ve got our orders; take down Saren before he gets to the Conduit. I believe in this mission, and I believe this is the crew to do it. This mission isn’t going to be easy and Saren will stop at nothing to get to the Conduit. Eden Prime was just the start. His Geth army will continue its rampage unless we bring a stop to their leader.” She took a breath, thinking about how this one speech could make or break some of the crew’s wills, “Saren knows we’re coming for him. He knows it’s only a matter of time before we find him. All of his followers will be ready for anything. But, so will we. We’ll fight because this is a fight that needs to be fought. We need to do this, not just for our own sake, but for the sake of every species in Citadel space. Saren will be stopped, and I promise you all… we’re going to be the ones to do it. Shepard, out.”

Joker clicked the intercom off before clapping, “See, that’s a speech you’d follow into the jaws of the abyss. Saren won’t know what hit him.”

Shepard smiled, feeling a lot better about the mission thanks to Joker, “Just what I needed to hear, Joker.”

Shepard made her way back to the CO’s quarters, making sure to lock the door behind her. She hoped the door was relatively soundproof, otherwise she’d just have to be quiet. She sat down at the small desk in the corner and clicked a few buttons to make the call.

She only had to wait a few moments before the screen in front of her was filled with a certain woman’s face.

Eliza saluted, “Captain Shepard.”

Hannah returned the gesture, “Commander Shepard.” She sat forward in a chair on her own starship, eyeing her daughter with a serious expression, “I’ve heard the news.” She paused, lengthening the silence between them. Finally, a smile broke out across her face, not able to keep up the façade any longer, “Congratulations, sweetheart.” Over the years they’d both served in the Alliance military, they’d had a running joke of always answering calls seriously, as though they weren’t mother and daughter and were simply superior and subordinate talking over a video call. The seriousness never lasted long, fading out completely within one or two sentences.

Eliza mirrored the grin, finally able to let her excitement out. “Thanks. Got my own ship too. Though, it came at a cost...”

Hannah’s face fell. She'd been notified of what had happened to Anderson by the man himself. She knew her daughter was close to the Captain, having served under him for years. Hannah and Anderson had been friends for years even before Eliza had come into her life. “Comes with the territory Eliza, you know that.”

“Doesn’t make it feel any better. I'm excited to be a Spectre, sure. And, don’t get me wrong, it’s a huge honour. But if I have to step over people just to get here, what’s the point?”

“Eliza...” Hannah’s tone got an apologetic look out of her daughter.

“I know. Anderson wouldn’t forgive me if I’d turned this down just because it took him stepping down to get here.” Eliza sighed, rubbing at her eyes with the heels of her palms. “Now I've got to find a single Turian in the Traverse, and stop him from wiping out all life in the galaxy.”

Hannah’s eyes widened at her daughter’s words, “I’m sorry, what?”

Eliza realised what she’d said, “Uh... yeah. First mission as a Spectre: save the galaxy.”

“Any way I can help? I’m pretty sure I can convince Hackett to loan out my ship.”

A short bark of laughter came from the younger woman, “Two Shepard’s on the case? Saren wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“You’re damn right he wouldn’t.” Hannah knew all Eliza really needed from her was someone to talk to, someone who she wasn’t obligated to because they were her direct superior or under her command. “Why don’t you start from the beginning?”

Eliza told the whole story, not leaving any details out, right from Jenkin’s death to being handed the Normandy’s command. “So now, I’ve got three targets, and no real sense of which one to go to first. I suggested Dr. T’Soni because it might bypass the whole thing, but she’s just as likely to be working for Benezia and try to kill me the moment I find her.”

Hannah thought for a moment, sitting back in her chair and considering her daughter’s predicament. “I think you’ve made the right call. Yes, she might be working for Benezia and therefore Saren, but surely you can disable a single Asari if necessary? You’ve got Lieutenant Alenko there. You always said he was the best soldier you’ve ever commanded. Chief Williams is a good soldier if, as you said, a bit misguided, but still solid from a military standpoint. And if what you said about Miss Zorah is any indication, the Geth won’t be a problem if you run into them. Wrex sounds about like any Krogan I’ve ever come across. Tough sons a’ bitches to kill. And if Garrus is as good a shot as you say, it’ll be easy.”

Hannah always seemed to know exactly what to say to boost Eliza’s confidence in any decision she’d made in the field. Eliza was glad she always had her mother to turn to. She always put things in perspective. “You know what? You’re right. I’ve... We’ve got this.”

“That’s better.” There was a knock at the door of Hannah’s cabin, “I’ve got to go. Let me know how it goes. Talk soon. Love you.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

Shepard shut off the connection, leaning back in her chair. They still had a bit of travelling to go before reaching the Artemis Tau system. She made her way to the door, hissing open at the touch of a button. Shepard jumped back slightly in fright at the sight of Tali in mid-knock. “Jesus!” She clutched a hand to her heart, “Scared me there.”

Tali swallowed, hoping the noise didn’t come through on her suit's speakers, “Sorry. I can come back later if you want.”

“No, no, come in. Always got time to talk to anyone on the crew. What’s up?”

Tali took the invitation, walking into the room to stand in the centre of the room. She turned to face the Commander, “I just wanted to thank you again for, you know, saving my life, inviting me on the crew and everything.”

Shepard smiled, “Just doing what anyone would’ve done.”

“See, that’s just it. Not just anyone would’ve done what you did. Especially not for a Quarian. My people... don’t have the greatest reputation amongst the galaxy. And to invite me on the crew not to work in the kitchens or just as an engineer, but as an equal… well it doesn’t happen.”

Shepard’s smile faded a little, crossing her arms across her chest, “I’m sorry that’s the case for your people, Tali. I hope your time on the Normandy is better than that.” She thought for a moment, “No one on the crew has given you trouble, right?” Shepard didn’t want to have to ask, but she would give a stern talking to anyone who would dare make any member of her crew feel unwelcome.

“No, no. Nothing like that. Engineer Adams welcomed me with open arms actually. I’ve gotten some… looks, nothing I can’t handle though.”

Shepard frowned slightly, but decided to let it lie for now, “Let me know if it becomes not so nice. I won’t have anyone on this ship feel out of place.”

Tali considered Shepard with a critical eye, “You’re one of a kind, Shepard.”

The Human biotic’s cheeks darkened slightly, “Oh! Thanks.” She stumbled over her words, “I haven’t met many Quarians, but I’m sure you’re better than them.” Her eyes widened, “Oh god…that sounded really bad didn’t it?”

Tali giggled, “Yeah, kinda. I got what you meant though.”

Shepard laughed too, “Well, potential insults aside,” She held out her hand, eagerly shaken by the Quarian, “Welcome aboard, Tali.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Sorry for the wait again. Rewrote bits of this several times before I felt they were right. Bit of RL stuff too, but it's done now!


	5. The Archaeologist

**Friday, 7:30am, 8 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Knossos System, Artemis Tau Cluster**

 

“Scan it again.”

Shepard stood in the CIC, watching the Normandy’s systems rescan the planet. They’d already gone over it twice, but she had to be sure of what she was seeing.

“Commander, we can’t get any closer. The Geth will shoot the Normandy straight out of the sky if we do.” Navigator Pressley had been trying to convince Shepard there was no way to drop straight in on the dig-site for an hour. The Commander was being as stubborn as she always was when someone told her something wasn’t possible.

“There’s got to-” She finally looked up at the stern look on the navigator’s features. “Ugh, fine. Mako it is.” Shepard marched off to the elevator, going straight down to the cargo bay to get ready.

It had taken almost half a day to even determine which system Dr. T’Soni was in. Once they’d narrowed it down, the only possible option had been Therum. A small world with plentiful mining opportunities, Prothean ruins dotted the surface and would have made the perfect place to find an archaeologist with Liara’s particular field of study. When they’d found a distress signal from the doctor herself, Shepard had been ecstatic. But it was not meant to be, the signal’s source a ruin, surrounded by Geth troops. Whether they were here with the doctor or here for her was beside the point.

The Geth made landing nearby impossible, even for a pilot such as Joker. Even if he could save the Normandy from getting shot down, the Mako would be blasted out of the air by the large Geth constructs their scans had revealed. Landing a significant distance away and proceeding in the Mako was the only option.

As the elevator continued its frustratingly slow descent into the bowels of the Normandy, Shepard considered her options for who to take on the mission. Tali would be by far the most useful of her squad, her hacking skills would prove invaluable against the Geth, not to mention the ability to shut down their shields and weapons from afar if necessary. That only left two more seats in the Mako.

She would’ve liked to take Wrex, if for no other reason than the Krogan was fun to be around. But his particular style of fighting lent itself more to close quarters, and Shepard could see there was going to be a lot of long range in their future. Even if there was to be fighting within the ruins themselves, the path leading up to it was long enough to counteract his usefulness. So, Wrex was out.

She’d made her decision by the time the doors opened, opting to take Tali and the two Humans on her crew. While she trusted Garrus’ skill, she was a bit unsure of the Turian’s exact motives for being on the Normandy aside from taking down Saren. While that was enough to be on the ship itself, Shepard wanted to get to know him before taking him on a vital mission like this. In her mind, the Turian seemed simply angry at Saren. She needed to establish whether this anger would blind him from a tactical standpoint or could be used to fuel his desire to finish the mission. While she knew about as much about Tali’s motives, Shepard got a good feeling speaking to the Quarian the day before and decided to bring her along for the mission. It helped that she was perfect for what they’d be facing.

As Shepard was strapping on her armguards, Ashley came up to her, a concerned expression etched into her features. The Commander paused for a second, raising an eyebrow at the woman in front of her, “Everything all right Williams?”

“I have some… concerns about the mission, ma’am.”

“Well, I’m all ears. Always good to get another perspective.” Shepard smiled, hoping she was wrong about what the Chief was about to say.

“Is it… wise to bring the Quarian along with us? This is your mission, and it’s an Alliance ship, so shouldn’t it just be Kaidan and I?”

Shepard’s smile fell, replaced by pursed lips as she regarded the soldier in front of her. “If there’s one thing you need to understand about being under my command, Chief, it’s that I will not tolerate disrespect to any member of my crew.”

“But-”

Shepard held up a hand, silencing the Chief. “And, I don’t mind questions about my orders, hell, I encourage them. But if the only reason you’re doing it is because you don’t like aliens, or think we’re better than them, I suggest you keep it to yourself. Better yet, take a long hard look at yourself and get over your mistrust. This is now a Spectre vessel, not an Alliance vessel. A Human may be in charge, but as far as I’m concerned, it might as well be a Turian or Quarian or even a Krogan. We’re going to be working with a lot of aliens on this mission. As long as I am in command, I will continue to take whoever I wish on ground missions, and I really don’t care if you approve or not. Now, I don’t want to hear another disrespectful or insubordinate comment like the one you just made while you’re on the Normandy. Do I make myself clear?”

Ashley looked into Shepard’s eyes for little more than a second, breaking her gaze and swallowing heavily as she stammered out her answer, “Yes ma’am.” She straightened up, saluting the Commander, “I’ll go back to getting ready.”

Shepard nodded, the younger woman hurrying away to the other side of the cargo bay. Shepard finished picking up her weapons, attaching her shotgun to her lower back before making her way down into engineering. The gentle hum of the huge engine filled the air, its blue glow illuminating the surrounding engineers. Shepard watched as Tali focused down on a screen in front of her covered in the Normandy’s readings, muttering to herself about the state of the ship.

“Ready to go, Tali?”

The Quarian didn’t even look up, “Just one second. I noticed the drive core’s emissions were a little off, so I’m just recalibrating them.”

Engineer Adams looked up at the mention of the drive core, “Wait… don’t-” Tali entered her new alterations before he could stop her. He looked down at his screen, dreading to see some horrible catastrophe. To his joy, Tali had been right. “Where did you find her Shepard? Tali’s been on the ship barely two days and I swear she knows the Tantalus better than I do!” He grinned at the Quarian, “Great stuff.”

Tali was only a little surprised at the compliment. “Thanks! I doubt I know it better than you though. Besides, we have to make these kinds of adjustments all the time on the Flotilla. They’re far more maintenance heavy than the Normandy, so I’ve probably had to do it far more.”

Shepard led Tali out of engineering, stopping near the Mako itself. “Looks like you’ve settled in alright.”

Tali beamed at the biotic, “The Normandy is amazing. I’m used to the Flotillas' ships, having to fix half of the ship every other day. But here... the Normandy runs so quietly I'm convinced the engine has to be broken half the time.”

Shepard chuckled, “I know what you mean. I woke up last night convinced something was wrong.”

“Exactly! I came down here three times to make sure. But there it was, working away.”

“It’ll probably be louder if it does break.” Both women laughed.

Joker’s voice cut in over the intercom, “ _Approaching drop point in two minutes._ ”

Kaidan and Ashley approached, the Chief hanging slightly behind her counterpart, “Ready to go Shepard.” Shepard answered by pulling the door open and climbing into the Mako’s driver seat. Kaidan narrowed his eyes at the Commander. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Commander?”

She grinned, “Oh come on, my driving’s not that bad.”

Kaidan pinched the bridge of his nose with a heavy sigh, “All I'm saying is, you better not flip the damn thing this time.”

Tali and Ashely exchanged a worried look. Shepard noticed, rolling her eyes, “That was one time! Get in before I leave you all behind.” The three other squad members piled in, the Normandy’s mechanised track moving the large vehicle into place in front of the cargo bay door. Shepard played with the Mako’s controls, shifting the mass effect fields to align the way she wanted. “Ah, there we go. Now it can do flips.”

Before anyone else could respond, the door opened and Shepard put her foot to the floor, the Mako flying out of the Normandy at break neck speed. Everyone within the vehicle was pushed back against their seats, raising slightly up as the Mako plummeted to the ground.

 

* * *

 

**Friday,** **9:0** **0am, 8 th of January 2183**

**Therum, Knossos System, Artemis Tau Cluster**

 

The Mako slammed into the ground, its mass effect fields and small boosters dampening most of the impact to its passengers. Shepard flipped her head back up, her hair settling back behind her head from where it had swung in front of her face.

They all scanned their surroundings. Therum was a very volcanically active planet, a fresh lava flow to one side of their landing zone. For a moment Shepard wanted to see if the Mako could jump over the molten rock, but decided against it after looking at her squad. She rolled her eyes, starting down the path towards the dig site where she hoped to find Dr. T’Soni unharmed and willing to help.

It wasn’t long before they came across the first Geth patrol. Shepard brought the Mako to a screaming halt before the synthetics could catch sight of them, reversing back behind an outcropping of rock. Tali brought up her omni tool, hacking through the Geth’s shields before giving Shepard the go ahead to continue on further. Shepard pushed the accelerator to the floor, swerving around the corner so fast that the three wheels on the right side of the Mako left the safety of the rock beneath.

All of Shepard’s squad held onto their seats for dear life while Shepard fired the Mako’s main cannon along with its secondary weapons. The combined force back on the vehicle from its weapons allowed it to remain right side up as it continued its trajectory on half of its wheels. The Geth attempted a counterattack, bullets bouncing off the Mako’s shields. Shepard continued to fire till all of the Geth were scrapped on the ground, letting go of the accelerator and allowing the Mako to fall back to its six wheels.

Shepard grinned at Tali in the seat beside her, “Not that bad a driver, am I?”

Tali was clutching one hand hard to the seat, the other to her chest, “If you count not bad as almost giving me a heart attack!”

“I see that as success.” Shepard looked back at Kaidan, “See? Almost giving heart attacks, not actually giving them.”

Kaidan sighed, shaking his head at the Commander’s confidence. Shepard noticed the ghost of a smile, taking it as a victory for her driving skills.

The Mako continued on its way towards the dig site, frustratingly hemmed in by steep cliffs on one side and the river of lava on the other. Shepard had hoped to take the fastest route possible, but even the Mako couldn’t climb vertical walls or drive across lava. Maybe she’d have a word to Alliance R&D about developing a vehicle that could.

Groups of Geth came across their path, taken down similarly to the first. For the good of her squad’s health, Shepard took them out with more standard tactics that the first group, using the Mako’s superior firepower to destroy entire groups with the main gun.

Shepard followed the path of the river of lava, their scans indicating it would take them right to the dig site itself. As they rounded the next corner, Tali’s yell cut over the silence that had settled over the squad, “COLOSSUS!”

Shepard’s quick reactions were the only thing that saved the Mako from having a new window, slamming the vehicle into reverse as the huge Geth’s cannon fire streaked past the retreating armour of the tank. The anti-vehicle Geth fired again, crashing into the rocks that the Mako hid behind. Shepard estimated that it would only take the Geth three or four shots to get through the cover completely. They needed a plan now.

“Can you take its shields down?” Shepard’s voice became serious, the jovial tone she’d been using for the whole mission gone.

“I need time to do it. Which is exactly what we don’t have now that it knows where we are. Did you see around its base? Plenty of other Geth to take down even if we do get the Colossus.” Shepard had never heard Tali sound so worried. She was frantically focused on her omni tool, doing her best to get the shields down.

“Tali, get that shield down and radio me once it is. Kaidan, take the wheel.” Before any of them could question her orders, Shepard opened the door and jumped out of the Mako, closing the door behind her. They saw her run back down the path they’d followed before biotically climbing one of the near vertical cliffs.

Tali was almost too stunned by the Commander’s actions to continue her hack, but eventually snapped out of it and resumed. Kaidan backed the Mako up, by now used to Shepard’s more interesting plans. He trusted that she’d enact whatever plan she’d concocted flawlessly. He’d yet to see one of them fail, or at least not succeed in one way or another.

Shepard pulled herself over the top of the cliff, keeping herself hidden from the Geth below. She moved along till she was behind and above them, just able to see the Mako over the cover it hid behind. She pulled her sniper rifle out, carefully lying down and hanging over the edge of the cliff. She’d have to be fast with her targets or the Colossus would just turn around and blow up the outcropping of rock she’d chosen.

The Colossus continued its barrage into the rock, firing its main cannon every few seconds. Shepard had been wrong, the terrain of Therum was holding up far better than she’d expected against the construct’s powerful weaponry. Kaidan had moved the Mako a safe distance back down the path they’d come from just in case, unbeknownst to the Geth.

“On my signal, come around the corner and fire on the Colossus.” Shepard whispered her orders down the comms.

“ _Roger that, Commander._ ”

Shepard sighted in on her first target, a Geth holding a large rocket launcher. She aimed for the juncture between its head and body, hoping to take the head clean off and disable it with a single shot.

“ _Shields are down… now._ ”

Shepard could see the Colossus’s and the rest of the Geth’s shields fizzle out. She fired, blasting apart her first target. As the Mako rounded the corner, she fired again, taking out another rocket trooper. The Mako’s first shot hit the Colossus square in the centre of its body, causing the huge machine to stagger backwards. It retaliated, Kaidan just barely swerving around its attack. Tali sat in the front seat, trying her best to keep the shields down and shut down the Geth’s weapons.

While the Colossus focused on the Mako, the rest of the Geth turned to face the threat from behind them. A rocket flew at Shepard’s position, only just narrowly turned aside by biotics, propelling it up and away from her. She leapt to her feet, swapping out her sniper for her assault rifle before jumping off the cliff. She slid down the wall, firing at the Geth as they tried to hit their accelerating target. Shepard was thankful her barrier was strong enough to ward off the attacks that actually hit her.

The Mako hit the Colossus one last time, nearly sending it from its feet. Shepard hit the ground hard, rolling and using her biotics to blunt the impact. She sprinted past the smaller Geth, lifting the ones on her left with a singularity, sliding her right foot out with a shockwave to knock the ones on the right from their feet. She continued her run, getting right under the Colossus’ huge frame. Shepard reached up, ripping off a panel of its undercarriage before stuffing a live grenade inside in one fluid motion. Before the Geth had even realised what she’d done, she was off, running out of the blast radius. She made it to the Mako, not bothering to jump inside and instead using the vehicle as cover.

The grenade inside the Colossus detonated, the huge Geth platform exploding and taking out all of the others around it. The synthetic collapsed into a pile of fiery metal and wires. Shepard stepped out from behind the Mako to admire her handiwork, pulling open the Mako’s door and climbing back into the driver’s seat.

The three occupants stared at their Commander. Her helmet folded back into her neck armour, mostly so she could fix them all with a quizzical stare, “What?”

Ashley broke the silence, “You just took out a Colossus by hand.” The disbelief in her voice was evident.

“Not entirely. Tali took down the shields and the Mako almost disabled it.” Shepard smirked, allowing herself just a little bit of self-satisfaction, “But yes. I took a Colossus down by hand.”

Tali shook her head, “Thank the ancestors you’re on our side then Shepard.”

The Commander laughed, “Always.”

The Mako resumed its path, coming closer to their final destination. Shepard decided against further heroics, using her skill at driving the armoured tank to take down the Geth in their way. They came across another Colossus, this one on its own. Keeping far enough away that she could dodge the main weapon, Shepard peppered it down with the Mako’s main gun and bursts from its secondary machine guns. Tali was busy almost the entire time, shutting down shields and overloading weapons where she could. The Quarian engineer even managed to make some of the Geth’s systems simply blow up from seemingly nothing, a feat Shepard repeatedly complimented her on.

Just when Shepard thought the end of their mission was in sight, she had to quickly spin the Mako 180 degrees and accelerated away from two Geth turrets. One had managed to hit the Mako, instantly taking down its shield and doing minor damage to its armour on one side. Once she was sure they were out of range, the entire squad got out of the vehicle, assessing the damage.

Tali crawled under the tank, opening a small maintenance panel on its undercarriage. A deep sigh came from the Quarian, “Oh you bosh’tets….” A short string of Khelish expletives issued from the speakers of her suit, too fast for Shepard’s translator to pick up.

“Can you repair it?” Shepard was mostly concerned with having to walk the rest of the way and finding a way to get the Mako back into the Normandy without being shot down, a far more difficult feat with no shields.

“I can, but it’s going to take a while. And I don’t see us getting past those turrets even if I do.”

Shepard cracked her fingers, smiling to Ashley and Kaidan, “While you get the Mako back into fighting shape, we’ll deal with those turrets.” The Commander looked around for a moment, spying a small opening in the rock not far away, a small ravine visible on the other side. “Let’s cut through there, maybe we can get in behind and take the turrets out before the Geth know what’s happening.”

Tali sat up from under the Mako, pulling her omni tool up and manufacturing a small set of tools with impressive speed, “I’ll let you know once I’m done.” She took her place back under the tank, humming a tune to herself as she worked.

Shepard moved off without another word, helmet folding out as she pulled her assault rifle into position. The ravine snaked its way across Therum’s landscape, the trio doing their best to remain silent and not tip off any Geth they may stumble across. They came to a corner, Shepard peaking her head just around it. She was met with a high wall, a small opening protected by a single Geth trooper.

She considered her options. There wasn’t really a way to sneak up on a group of Geth. Once one knew you were there, they all did. The single network helped with that. They’d have to charge in guns blazing or use hit and run tactics to ensure they could retain at least a small element of surprise. Shepard was fairly certain this group already knew of their presence, at least of the fact that they were planet side. They’d taken out too many of them previously with the Mako for the synthetics to not know.

Shepard turned to her squad, “I’ll charge in and take that one out, you both follow once it’s done and we’ll move through, got it?” They both nodded.

The Commander took a few deep breaths before springing into action. She sprung around the corner, building up her biotic energy as the Geth unit began to take aim. Just at it had aimed at her fully, Shepard unleashed, crossing the distance in less than a second glowing with dark energy. Her shoulder slammed into the Geth, propelling it forcefully into wall and making a satisfying crunching sound as its outer casing shattered. Shepard finished it with a short pull of the trigger, the light on the head of the unit slowly fading out. Kaidan and Ashely quickly caught up, proceeding with the Commander into the small base proper.

They were confronted by a relatively empty room, an empty doorway on the other side of the room. Geth troops could be heard mobilising on the outside. Shepard made a few small hand movements, the three of them ducking behind the barrier in front of them. Shepard primed a grenade, holding it while waiting for the Geth.

She heard the synthetics enter, keeping herself completely still and holding her breath to prevent their position from being given away. A few more moments and Shepard threw the explosive, the rattle of the small sphere hitting the opposite wall before the inevitable few seconds of waiting. She heard the scrambling as the Geth attempted to get out before it went off, unsuccessfully. The bomb detonated, the heat from the explosion passing through the barricade they knelt behind. Shepard sprung up, vaulting over their cover and firing her weapon while still in the air, taking out the only synthetic who’d survived the blast. Kaidan and Ashely repeated her actions, following their commander outside.

Shepard made a quick sweep of the area outside. The gate with the two turrets that had nearly taken out the Mako was off to their left, the turrets unable to turn to fire on the soldiers. In front and to the right were more Geth troops, catching sight of them and beginning their attack. Shepard produced a biotic barrier, blocking their first barrage of gunfire. All three humans dove behind crates just outside the small building they’d exited, protecting them from further attack.

Shepard poked her head around the edge of a crate, just catching sight of a Geth as it fired straight at her. One of the bullets carved a small scratch into her helmet, earning a small smile from the Commander. “Protect this position at all costs. I'll need somewhere to retreat to.”

Kaidan and Ashley shouldn’t have been surprised at Shepard’s actions, watching as the Commander rolled out from their cover and sprinted at a right angle to the Geth’s advance on their position. Shepard laughed to herself as their enemy took the bait, shifting all of their attentions to take her out. Kaidan popped up over the cover, lifting two of the Geth troops while taking out a third with his pistol. Ashley did the same, finishing the two in the air and another two with quick accurate bursts of her assault rifle.

Shepard prepared her biotics while she ran, eyeing the Geth she planned to use it on. She fell into a slide, slipping behind a crate before bringing herself back to her feet on the other side and unleashing her plan. The break in line of sight had been just long enough to confuse the Geth’s targeting software, incapable of adapting to Shepard’s seemingly suicidal tactics. Biotics raced across the field, coiling around the chosen target and pulling it towards the Commander.

The Geth flew through the air, met with a one-handed blast from Shepard’s shotgun to the chest, disabling the trooper. She caught the body of the synthetic with her other hand, stowing her shotgun and taking the Geth’s weapon for herself. The hand that had caught the Geth gripped a large structural support running through the platform, turning it into an effective shield.

Shepard’s entire body was wreathed with dark energy as she made her way across the battlefield. She'd run far enough to be on the exact opposite side of the area to her squad. She mowed down Geth with ruthless efficiency, using the enemy’s weaponry as though she’d been using it for years. Kaidan and Ashley matched her kill for kill. The two-sided attack quickly took out the remaining Geth forces.

The last Geth fell, crashing to the ground in a hail of bullets and sparks. Shepard relaxed, allowing the Geth body and weapon in her hands to relax just a little. As she began to make her way back to Kaidan and Ashley, Shepard froze, the sound of something falling behind her stopping her in her tracks. A bang of metal on earth caused the Commander to slowly turn around, confronted by a sight that made her heart sink.

A Geth armature slowly rose up from the ground, having been air dropped from above. Its main gun instantly targeted the Human biotic in front of it, charging up in a bare few seconds. Shepard reacted with her gut, tossing the Geth in her hand at the larger one in front of her just as it fired. The blast hit the tossed body, protecting Shepard from a direct hit and subsequently her death, but not from the full impact.

“SHEPARD!” Simultaneous yells came from the two other Humans.

The force of the armature’s attack hit Shepard, throwing her like a ragdoll through the air to slam into the wall behind her squad mates. She plummeted, groaning as the ground rushed up to meet her. She could feel that at least two of her ribs were broken, clutching at her side as she struggled to crawl behind the crates Kaidan and Ashley were hidden behind.

“Fuck that hurt.” Shepard pulled her assault rifle out, eager to take down the synthetic that had injured her. She popped her head over the crate just enough to observe their enemy. The attack had apparently dazed the Geth just as much as it had Shepard. The armature regained its footing, almost firing again before Shepard ducked back out of its line of sight. “This is going to be complicated…”

Shepard’s mind raced with possibilities of how they could possibly take down the large Geth construct. Before she could get very far, the gate with the turrets that had almost destroyed the Mako above it exploded.

The Mako drove through the smouldering wreckage, firing its main gun into the armature, carving through its shields, before hitting it at full speed. The screech of bending metal filled the air, the armour of the Geth giving way under the force of the impact and the weight of the Mako as it drove straight over the top of it. The tank got clear of the tangle of metallic limbs, spinning in a 180 degree turn and firing again, propelling the body into the rocky wall of the small base.

Shepard leapt over their cover, firing into the downed body of the synthetic. She brought her foot up, charging up her biotics and unleashing as powerful a shockwave as she could towards the Geth. The dark energy took the Geth to the ground once more, the robotic enemy unable to regain its footing after the barrage of attacks. One final shot from the Mako took it down for good, the Geth collapsing with a final whine of machinery.

Shepard sighed, stowing her rifle with a small wince of pain. She was thankful for her helmet, the armour preventing the squad from seeing the look on her face from her broken ribs.

Tali popped open the door of the Mako, giving Shepard a mock salute, “Fancy meeting you here. Need a ride?”

The Commander grinned underneath her helmet, the smile coming through in her voice, “Perfect timing. I was just thinking about how much it would suck it we had to walk the rest of the way.” The squad piled in, Shepard resuming her spot in the driver’s seat. “How did you get past the turrets?” She noticed that the turrets still looked ready to fire at any given moment.

“Changed their IFF. Any Geth try to follow us,” Tali made a small explosion with her hands, “Boom, bye bye Geth.”

Shepard was confused to say the least, “You can do that to the Geth?”

“Not to the Geth, no. The turrets aren’t actually Geth. Similar to the guns on the Mako, controlled by a computer. Only instead of the computer being controlled by us, its controlled by the Geth. Well… it was.”

“That… that makes a lot more sense.”

Tali laughed, “If it was that easy to hack the Geth, this mission would be over already.”

Shepard turned the Mako around, finding the damage that had been done completely repaired by the Quarian sitting next to her. If anything, the Mako seemed in a better state than before the shot that had fizzled out its shields. It handled better, or at least it did in Shepard’s mind. Maybe she was imagining it, or Tali was every bit the mechanical genius she seemed to be.

The last bit of the path towards the dig site was relatively empty, save for a sparse few Geth patrols. None of the previous excitement with small bases or the Colossus Shepard had taken down. Eventually, they could see the entrance, the only bit of technology in the volcanic wasteland that was Therum. It stuck out of the ground, bright white against the red rock surrounding it. Unfortunately for the squad, it was also surrounded by a small army of Geth. Only one armature, the Commander noted, standing right next to the entrance, constantly scanning its surroundings for any hostile.

As Shepard drove nearer, she was dismayed to be find it would be impossible to take the Mako any closer than a few hundred metres away. There were sheer vertical rock faces on one side, a lava river on the other, and the only path towards their ultimate goal was barely wide enough for two people to squeeze through, let alone the large vehicle that was the Mako. After several failures at getting the mass effect fields to lighten the tank enough to get it over the split in the rocks and allow Shepard to drive closer, they alighted, carefully pulling their weapons free and preparing for the fight ahead.

Shepard calmly led them forward, staying close to the wall and making their way between small outcroppings of rock. They managed to get almost within shotgun distance of the first group without being spotted. Shepard held a single finger to the front of her helmet, each of her squad nodding. She slowly raised her head above their cover, noting the position of each of the Geth near them. There were a total of five, one for each of them plus an additional. She motioned to the others, another nod for their understanding.

The Commander counted down with her hand. As soon as her hand reached zero, they all leapt over simultaneously. Tali charged at the nearest one, her omni tool overloading the Geth’s hardware and crumpling it to the ground. Kaidan pulled the furthest towards him, catching the synthetic in mid-air and slamming it into the ground, where a quick pistol shot to the head took it down. Ashley rushed in, her shotgun taking out her assigned target with a large hole straight through the centre of its chest. Shepard was left with the last two, throwing herself forward with biotics at one, the sheer impact crumpling its armour where her shoulder struck it. She leapt into the air, landing a savage biotically-charged kick to the side of its head, sending it crashing to the ground. Her hand shot out to stop the gunfire of the second, a barrier lighting up with brilliant blue ripples upon absorbing the attack. She marched forward, blocking every attack before releasing the barrier and grabbing the Geth’s weapon with one hand, turning it to face the Geth itself and firing with the other hand.

All five Geth were down in a matter of seconds, Shepard’s squad already marching forward to the next group. The noise of their fight had drawn the attention of the ones further up the hill. The squad spread out on instinct, leaving the Geth with more than one area to focus on. Shepard and Tali went left while Kaidan and Ashley went right.

The battlefield became alive with gunfire as the Spectre-led group pushed further up the hill towards the dig site. Tali was a force to be reckoned with, shutting down shields left and right, even able to cause some of the Geth to simply self-destruct. Shepard made sure they didn’t get anywhere close to the Quarian engineer, gunning them down with amazing accuracy and powerful displays of biotics. Even the rocky outcrops proved no cover for the synthetics, Shepard’s shockwaves carving through the rock after several hits, opening the Geth up for attack.

Kaidan and Ashley moved just as fast, combining the biotics of the former with the marksmanship of the latter. Kaidan would lift the Geth up even from behind cover, while Ashley took them out with well-placed bursts of her rifle. One Geth proved more difficult than the other, able to duck behind the cover as soon as the two humans tried to fire. Kaidan proved unable to lift the synthetic from the angle he found himself at. Ashley scanned the field for any vulnerability, and found none. She simply pulled out her shotgun and turned to her ally, “Cover me!”

Ashley leapt over the rocks, sprinting straight across the battlefield. Kaidan lay down fire on any Geth who happened to poke their head out, leaving Ashley the perfect path towards the dug-in synthetic. She vaulted over the rock to the Geth’s surprise, spinning in the air and blasting it into pieces with a shot to the chest. Ashley rolled on the other side, taking out another Geth nearby, before diving behind more cover.

Finally, the four of them came to the only cover before the entrance to the mine itself. The armature guarding it fired into the rock Shepard found herself behind, a worrying crack instantly running through it. Taking this final obstacle down was not going to be easy, despite the squad’s skill.

Just as Shepard began to formulate a plan, a shadow passed over her and Tali. It landed a few metres away, using its momentum to spin to face them. Shepard barely had time to react before it fired, only just barely blocked by the biotic barrier Shepard had managed to produce. The thing was a Geth, but unlike any they’d faced so far. It was significantly more gangly, long arms and legs splayed out beneath it. The limbs appeared to be far more flexible than other Geth models, designed to allow it to move in any direction at an instant of notice.

Shepard brought her assault rifle to bear, blasting directly at the Geth. Only, it wasn’t there anymore. It leapt away from the pair of them, the movement almost too fast to follow. It fired again, this time the biotic was too slow to react. Shepard grunted with pain as the shot pierced her left forearm. She persisted through the pain, firing again and hitting the Geth. It went down with barely a few bullets. The agility of this platform seemed to allow it little to no defence against common ordinance.

The crack in their cover widened as the armature’s attack hit it again. Shepard applied medi-gel to her wound before popping her head up over to survey their enemy. The synthetic had situated itself fairly well, no cover anywhere near it for them to take it by surprise. None of the four of them could get close enough to disable the Geth with their respective skills. A head on assault was their only option.

“Tali, we need to get its shields down.”

The Quarian’s response came back slightly annoyed, “I’m trying. It’s hard when you’re getting shot at!”

Kaidan reacted accordingly, throwing a grenade and a few bursts of his rifle at the Geth. “We’ll buy you time and keep it distracted!”

After a few tense minutes, Tali input the final command, “Got it!”

All four of them attacked as one, driving the Geth construct back. Every bullet went straight into its armour, almost preventing any sort of counterattack. The attacks it did manage were only from its secondary weapons, glancing off their shields and biotic barriers alike.

Shepard saw an opportunity and took it. Stowing her rifle, she brought her biotic skill to bear, producing a singularity in each hand. The instant they were ready, she unleashed her barrage. The spheres of dark energy streaked towards the Geth, veering off to either side of the synthetic. Now, the Geth was being pulled in two directions as well as being driven back by the weapons of Shepard’s allies. The biotic charged, leaping over the main gun of the enemy to crash down onto its back, driving her fist straight through the armoured plating on its back. This proved too much for the Geth’s body to handle, the entire structure tearing in half as the singularities ripped it apart from both sides. The body collapsed with Shepard atop it, rising from the corpse and jumping off towards the dig site. She wasted no time, pulling her weapon free and stalking towards the entrance.

The dig site door closed behind them with a resounding crash. Shepard looked between the members of her squad, shrugging at the ominous sign. The tunnel they found themselves in extended deep into the earth, a door just visible at the other end. They slowly crept down towards it, prepared for it to open and give them another thing to shoot at.

Shepard directed Tali to open the door, the three Humans taking position just in case there was in fact something hiding on the other side. It hissed open, revealing the dig site proper, and lucky for them, no enemies. Shepard rose from her knee, striding purposefully into the cavern.

They found it completely empty, not even a single person or synthetic to greet them. Shepard scanned their surroundings, and found nothing. Further on, she could see what was obviously Prothean ruins, so at least they were in the right place.

“This is kinda creepy.” Tali’s voice echoed off the stone walls, the Quarian’s hand flying to the speaker at the front of her suit. “That was really loud.”

Shepard snickered, “Come on, we’ve already taken down the Geth, what more could they throw at us?”

As if on cue, there was the sound of a ding. They all turned to further down the walkway they were on, and found the doors of an elevator. It opened, revealing a Geth rocket trooper. It fired immediately, the projectile streaking towards the squad. Shepard and Kaidan reacted, putting up a barrier and taking the full brunt of the attack. They both slid backwards, unable to completely absorb the force with their barriers alone. Ashley pulled out her sniper rifle, taking aim before the Geth could fire again and exploded its chest out. The synthetic flew back into the elevator, the entire shaft ringing with the impact.

Shepard’s voice came out in a whisper, “Okay, maybe let’s be quiet then.”

The squad slowly made their way onto the walkways at the top of the dig site. The entire thing went down for at least a hundred metres, ending in a cavern floor far below them. No more surprises were waiting for them, finally making it to the lift. Shepard dragged the Geth out, taking its rocket launcher from it and strapping it across her back. It only had one more rocket left, but maybe she could find a use for it.

The elevator ground its way further into the dig site. Much to their surprise, it was relatively quiet, hopefully not alerting any other Geth that may have been in the cave with them. Finally, it reached the bottom, the four of them filing out and walking closer to the Prothean ruins themselves.

“Hello?! Is someone there?” Shepard froze at a voice. “Please! Tell me it's not just my imagination again.” The Commander slowly stepped forward, following the path toward the voice. She rounded a corner, coming face to face with the source. An Asari. Suspended in the air. Behind a huge energy field. In a bubble. “Oh, thank the goddess!”

Shepard lowered her rifle, studying the scene in front of her, “Dr T’Soni, I presume?”

The Asari nodded eagerly, “Yes! That’s me. Um… I don’t suppose you’re here to help me?”

Shepard’s helmet folded back into her armour, grinning at the trapped alien, “Wouldn’t be here otherwise.” She looked at where the field connected with the ruins, “How do we get through?”

“You don’t.” The answer surprised the Commander, who raised an eyebrow in suspicion, “Well, not from that side at any rate.”

“Okay… how did you get there then?”

The doctor’s cheeks immediately darkened with embarrassment, “Uh… I may have… accidentally… activated the security system and trapped myself in this bubble.” The last words came out in rapid fire, Liara immediately breaking eye contact with Shepard.

The Commander would’ve laughed if she hadn’t thought that was exactly something she would’ve done herself. “Let’s see about getting you out then. Do you know how to get yourself free at least?”

Dr T’Soni nodded, “The console on this side will get me out.” There was a crash from both behind the squad and behind the doctor, her face creasing with concern, “Please hurry.”

They moved off, following a path less travelled by the archaeologists that had used the dig site if the uncovered rock beneath their feet was anything to go by. The path led them away from Dr T’Soni and Shepard hoped to in behind her. It curved away to the left. At least it was going the right direction. Eventually, it did a full 180-degree turn, leading them back towards the actual Prothean ruins themselves. There was evidence of Geth here, the three-toed foot prints of the synthetics disturbing the dust on the floor, but none of the actual robots themselves.

The rock underneath them finally gave way to the cool metal of the ruins, leading to a large central chamber that they’d glimpsed behind the doctor. Shepard craned her neck up, amazed at the sheer size of the place. The shaft must have run all the way to the surface at least. She looked around, wondering what purpose this space could actually have served. She grinned to herself at the possibility it was a giant mass accelerator weapon. Maybe they could take out Saren’s flagship with it.

The glow of the energy field led them back to the trapped Asari. She struggled to look back at them, a thankful smile appearing on her face, “The console there should turn the field off. Just hit the third button from the top right.”

Shepard approached the small console, the screen popping up with an alien language she assumed to be Prothean. While she couldn’t understand a single thing it said, Shepard felt the meaning without fully comprehending it. She pressed the small button she’d been asked to, a small green flare of dark energy around her hand in the process. Dr T’Soni’s eyes widened as she fell back onto her feet, unable to keep herself from staring at the Human in front of her.

To her surprise, the Human soldier didn’t seem to notice the strange flare, marching a bit closer to her. She shelved the idea for the moment, making a mental note to ask her later.

“Um, thank you...” Liara had no idea how long she’d been suspended in the air by the bubble, only that the rest of the dig site’s occupants had been killed or had disappeared and she hadn't heard any noise from them in a long time. “I didn’t happen to catch your name.”

Shepard held out her hand, “Commander Shepard, Spectre.”

The Asari took the offered gesture lightly, “Oh! I didn’t realise there were any Human Spectres. Not that you shouldn’t be or anything, I didn’t mean anything like that, I just hadn’t heard anything-”

Shepard laughed, interrupting the doctor’s rambling, “It’s fine. I’m the first one, and I've only been one for a bit over a day.” She turned back to her squad, “And this is Tali'Zorah, Chief Williams and Lieutenant Alenko.”

She nodded at the rest of the squad, “A pleasure to meet you all. Could we... get out of here, please? I think I've had enough of these particular ruins for a while.”

Shepard started leading them back towards the elevator, “Definitely. This way then.”

A thundering boom from behind them stopped all five in their tracks. A deep voice made its way to them, gruff and amused, “You’ve done well, Human.” Several more crashes echoed through the space. “Saved me the trouble of figuring out these fucking machines.”

Shepard turned, coming face to face with a Krogan and several Geth. She realised they must’ve been hiding above them in the room, only just now jumping down to face them. All of them had trained weapons onto her allies. She narrowed her eyes. “Well, you know, always had good luck with this sort of thing.”

The Krogan raised his shotgun a little higher, “I’ll be taking the doctor now.”

“Over my cold dead body.” Shepard snarled back.

The Krogan only grinned, “That’s the plan.”

He fired, Shepard’s squad diving out of the way as the Geth began their assault at the same time. Shepard tackled Liara out of the way, bringing them both to the ground behind a pillar. “Stay down.”

Liara nodded, only semi-obeying Shepard’s order, getting back to her feet and turning to face a small Prothean console attached to the pillar. After a few moments, the entire room lurched under them, nearly throwing every combatant from their feet. Shepard stared wildly around the room, realising the entire thing was an elevator, probably all the way to the surface.

The head start of their enemy had pinned down Shepard’s squad, none of them able to get out from behind their cover to go on the defensive. Shepard could see the Krogan edging around the side of the circular room, getting closer to them every second. She waited until a Geth rocket trooper had fired and hit the pillar behind her before making her move.

Shepard sprinted out from cover, keeping her barrier up and charging straight for the Krogan with an animalistic yell. He barely had time to react, his shotgun swinging to face the biotic, but not fast enough. Shepard crouched down and drove her shoulder up into his gut, taking the 400-pound alien from his feet. The Commander heard the satisfying wheeze as she forced all the air out of his lungs upon hitting the ground.

She leapt back to her feet, landing several biotically charged punches across the Krogan’s face, before a well-placed kick to her chest sent the Human flying. Shepard flipped in the air, landing back on her feet in a crouch, smiling at the alien underneath her helmet. Her far larger opponent managed to get back to his feet, grunting his frustration as he wiped the blood from his face where Shepard’s gauntlets had cut his hardened hide.

He roared, throwing his shotgun away and engaging Shepard in hand-to-hand combat. The huge form barrelled towards the far smaller Human, Shepard barely managing to sidestep the sudden ferocity of her opponent. She sent a kick to his back, sending the Krogan stumbling forward. He turned with surprising speed, swinging around for a punch straight to Shepard’s exposed helmet. Two arms came up surrounded by dark energy, managing to stop the blow from having its full effect. The Krogan used her momentary lack of defence, his other arm swinging up and catching Shepard in the gut.

Shepard grunted at the impact, feeling the attack reverberate through her body. She could feel her broken ribs crack slightly more, her armour only slightly dulling the force. She retaliated with an attack of her own, throwing the Krogan’s fist away and connecting her plated elbow with his exposed chin. She rained down blows on the alien, forcing him on the defensive. He was stronger than Shepard for sure but could not match her speed. Her fists were soon covered in the viscous blood of the Krogan, more of it coming with every blow she landed. The Krogan managed to get several blows in, but Shepard ensured they were only glancing and prevented any real damage.

Shepard could sense her enemy was becoming fatigued, and if she was honest with herself, so was she. Using her biotics to enhance her physical strength like this was extremely tiring, even with her prodigious talent for the feat. Both combatants began to slow, each attack losing its full impact. Shepard didn’t defend against a blow fast enough, the Krogan leaping on his chance. His head rushed forward, the hard plate above his face slamming into Shepard’s helmet, hard enough to crack the visor. Shepard staggered back several steps, shocked she’d let the strike through. The Krogan thought to capitalise on this, but Shepard was ready.

She sidestepped the blow, before repeating the Krogan’s attack straight back at him. Shepard’s head rushed forward, the area which covered her forehead slamming into the Krogan’s nose. A fresh spurt of blood filled the air, splattering onto Shepard’s helmet.

The Krogan had had enough of this farce, bellowing his frustration at being unable to kill this tiny uppity alien. With a surprising display of speed for a person with his size, his hand flashed out, wrapping tightly around Shepard’s neck and lifting her into the air. He began to squeeze immediately, Shepard feeling her breathing start constricting immediately.

“Saren will be glad to be rid of you. Another thorn gone from his side.” The Krogan snarled into Shepard’s face.

“You…really should… look… down…” The words came out of Shepard’s mouth, obeyed straight away. To the Krogan’s surprise, Shepard had pulled her pistol out and was currently aiming at the direct centre of his chest. Before he could take the weapon, Shepard pulled the trigger as fast as she could, emptying the entire weapon until it hissed with heat.

Shepard fell back to her feet, coughing only once before leaping into the air and planting both feet into the chest of her enemy. Her feet connected with the Krogan’s bullet wounds, covered in dark energy as the alien was propelled into the air and crashed down in the centre of the elevator.

The Commander pulled the rocket launcher she’d gotten from the Geth, briefly glancing around the room before aiming. “Thought I might need this.” She pulled the trigger, the projectile rocketing towards its target before incinerating the Krogan with a large explosion.

While Shepard had been having her melee match with the Krogan, her squad had been busy, protecting the terrified Dr T’Soni and mowing down the Geth in their way. Tali let off overloads from across the elevator, deactivating some Geth’s shields and completely shutting down others as the sudden intake of electricity caused them to have cascading failures throughout their hardware. Any that got too close were met with the nasty end of the Quarian’s shotgun.

Ashley and Kaidan fell into a routine, highlighting each other’s abilities in tandem. Kaidan used his biotics to great effect, tossing Geth into the walls of the elevator, the moving walls grinding away entire limbs or simply bouncing off and crashing to the ground to be taken out by the Lieutenant’s impressive marksmanship.

Some would be lifted directly into Ashley’s path, the soldier taking them out with brutal efficiency. She walked straight into the open, not even bothering with the cover, relying on her shields to defend against any attack that may have struck her. Few did. Ashley spun at each new threat, releasing a burst from her assault rifle to take them down.

More Geth had fallen from above, ignoring the fight between their Krogan leader and the Commander of their enemy. They focused on the trio fighting them, attempting to get to the Asari currently cowering on the opposite side of the room. The three made sure none got close, their skills working in tandem to protect their asset. Tali remained near the doctor the entire time, ensuring no harm came to her.

The four allies turned to the centre at the sound of Shepard’s rocket. The explosion sent a shuddering through the entire elevator, the platform suddenly feeling unstable, as well as the surrounding cavern. As the elevator got to the top of the shaft, Shepard noting that that the entrance they’d come in through was just up ahead, a crack echoed through the entire dig site. Dr T’Soni’s eyes widened at the ceiling, the noise coming from the rock enclosing the Prothean ruins themselves.

“RUN!” The Asari’s voice was heeded, all five of the dig site’s occupants sprinting towards their exit. Rocks began to fall, the entire dig site beginning to crumble around them. Shepard made it to the tunnel leading to the exit first, waiting by the pipe and waving each of the four through. The second the rest were through, she followed, all of them sprinting up the incline even while it cracked and fell apart around them.

The group burst out the exit, putting some distance between the dig site and them, even as a cloud of dust shot from the ruins’ entrance.

Shepard stood with hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. “Escaping collapsing ruins… can’t say it’s my favourite activity.”

A short chuckle came from the group, just glad to have gotten out alive and relatively uninjured. They made their way carefully back to the Mako, eyes peeled for any Geth that had escaped their notice. Luckily for them, they got back to the tank with no incident, picked up by the Normandy shortly after, having taken care of the turrets that had previously been preventing the ship’s approach.

 

* * *

 

**Friday, 3:30pm, 8 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Knossos System, Artemis Tau Cluster**

The squad alighted from the Mako, Shepard turning to face them, “Debrief in the comm room in an hour.”

They all made their ways in separate directions, Shepard opting to stay with their new Asari passenger.

Dr T’Soni stood nervously, running her hands over the other repeatedly. “I’m thankful you saved me Commander, but… why did you?”

The Commander’s voice was serious to the point of it being jarring, “I need your help. Suffice it to say, the fate of the galaxy rests on my mission, and I think you can provide aid.”

“Oh!” Her eyes widened, “Oh! Um… how?”

Shepard considered spilling about everything right then and there, but chose the more careful route, “Come to the comm room with the rest of the crew, I’ll explain everything then. It… might take a while.”

Liara nodded, “Okay. Thank you again Commander.” She wandered off, making her way quickly out of the cargo bay and into the elevator towards the middle level of the ship.

Shepard made her way over to her armour locker, beginning to strip herself of the hard-outer layer. She grimaced upon taking her helmet off, noting that the inside was stained with her blood. The crack in the visor looked easy enough to repair, but she was still thankful she had multiple sets of the armour.

Wrex came over, nodding at the blood staining a significant portion of Shepard’s face, “Looks like I missed a hell of a fight.”

Shepard grinned, some blood staining her teeth, “You would’ve loved it. Got headbutt by a Krogan.” A smile spread across Wrex’s face, “So I headbutt him back.”

He roared with laughter, “HA! Bet that surprised the fucker.”

Shepard joined him with a small chuckle, “No one ever expects the headbutt.”

Wrex clapped Shepard on the shoulder, the Human wincing at the jostling of her ribs, “You fight like a Krogan Shepard. Keep it up and I’ll have to challenge you to see which one of us is more Krogan.”

Her voice came out slightly strained from the pain in her chest, “Look forward to it.”

As he sauntered away, Shepard removed the last piece of her hard armour, unzipping her soft under-armour at the front and beginning to peel it off. She wore nothing but a bra underneath, lifting her arm to better inspect her exposed chest. A brilliant bruise spread across it, marring her pale skin exactly where the pain was. She sighed as she dropped the limb back down, only just remembering she’d been shot in the arm. As she inspected the wound, shallow she was thankful to see, a cough came from behind her.

Shepard turned slowly to face the source. Doctor Chakwas. Her cheek’s burned with guilt at the menacing stare of the medical officer. The Normandy’s medical chief’s eyes quickly swept her commanding officer’s body, noting her bloody face, extremely bruised ribs and still bleeding arm in an instant. Her voice was forceful, leaving no room for argument, “Medbay. Now.”

 

* * *

 

**Friday, 4:50pm, 8 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Knossos System, Artemis Tau Cluster**

After her trip to the Medbay, accompanied by a significant amount of complaining on her part, Shepard stood with her arms folded in the comm room of the Normandy, only just finished explaining the situation to the Normandy’s newest crew member.

“So, that’s everything.”

Dr T’Soni sat in stunned silence for a few moments, attempting to process everything she’d just been told. It all sounded insane, but somehow, she couldn’t help but believe the Commander. That her mother was helping a seemingly genocidal Turian wasn’t even what shocked her the most. The knowledge of the Prothean’s true fate had caught her attention the most, connecting the dots with decades of her research.

“Why… why do you need me, exactly?”

The Asari’s question was fair. Shepard hoped her next question was answered truthfully, and she hoped she’d know if it wasn’t. “Your mother is helping Saren find the Conduit and bring back the Reapers. I want to know why. Have you spoken to Benezia about this, or has she said anything to you?”

Liara shook her head, “I… I haven’t spoken to my mother in several years. She doesn’t understand my life’s work and has made it quite clear she doesn’t approve. So no, I haven’t spoken to my mother about any of this.”

Shepard sighed, rubbing her forehead with her uninjured right arm, “Damnit.” She perked back up, keeping her mind on the mission, “Luckily you weren’t our only lead. We can drop you back at the Citadel if you want. I’m sure you can get back to Thessia, or another dig site or-”

“No.” Shepard raised an eyebrow at the response, “What I mean to say is, I want to see this through. If my mother is doing what you say she is, I need to know why. Commander… I know my mother. She wouldn’t do this of her own free will. She had to know something.” She cocked her head oddly at the Human, “And I must say I am rather interested in you, Shepard.” Shepard’s eyes widened at the turn of phrase, a light blush colouring her cheeks. Liara realised her mistake, stuttering over her words to fix it. “Oh-no-not-like-that. I mean, in your experiences.” She breathed in and out several times, calming her nerves, “You came into contact with a working Prothean beacon. I would have killed to see that in my earlier years.”

Shepard laughed, “If by came into contact, you mean blow up in my face, sure.”

The Asari continued, glossing over Shepard’s joke, “The vision it gave you… its unlike anything I’ve ever heard of. You and Saren may be the only two beings in the galaxy currently alive to have witnessed the end of the Protheans. Even if it is as unclear as you say, this is remarkable. And that you were even able to survive the beacon’s output all is amazing.” Liara thought for a second, “The key to understanding the vision would lie with a cipher… of sorts. You would need to understand the culture… the point of view of a Prothean, if you will, to truly comprehend what the beacon showed you.”

“And where would I get that exactly?”

Liara sighed, “The short answer; you can’t. Without a living Prothean, it becomes far more difficult to even consider what a cipher would even be. Working Prothean technology would help, but the pieces of it that do exist are kept so secure, we wouldn’t have the time to get access to them. Like the Prothean archives on your Mars, for example.” She steeled herself for the next request, hoping to the Goddess Shepard would say yes, “Although, I-I-I think I can help you understand it a little better, if you’ll let me.”

Shepard was confused by Liara’s words, “How?”

“I can join our minds. Meld them together to help better sort through the vision.”

The Commander stood silent for a moment, considering the offer. She’d heard of Asari mind melding, but mostly in the case of sex. And she wasn’t about to do that with someone she’d just barely met a few hours ago. “If you think it will help.”

Ashley spoke up across the room, “Commander, do you think it’s safe-”

“I do.” Shepard’s stern tone shut down any further argument from the younger woman.

Not noticing the tension between the two Humans, Liara stood up from her chair and approached Shepard. “Relax Commander. This will only take a moment.” She stood just over a foot away from Shepard, eyes closed as she prepared herself. “Are you ready Commander?”

“Do it.”

Liara’s eyes shot open, her pupils expanding to completely fill her eyes. “ _Embrace eternity!_ ”

Her voice seemed to echo in Shepard’s ears, bouncing around inside her head till it was all she could hear. Quickly, Shepard’s mind was overtaken once more by the horrific vision she’d been given, roaring alien jaws filling her ears. But… the vision seemed clearer somehow. More distinct. Shepard still couldn’t make everything out, but she felt as though she understood the individual images better, even if she could still only make out the overarching concept of the entire thing.

Shepard came back to herself, opening her eyes. Liara did so at the same time, stumbling back a step. The Commander’s arm shot out to hold her up, lightly holding one forearm, prepared to support her weight if need be, “Woah, you alright?”

Dr T’Soni nodded, “I’m fine. The melding can be… exhausting.”

“I feel fine.”

“It is usually only the Asari who initiates the meld that becomes fatigued.” Liara stood up straighter, considering the images that their meld had shown her. “Remarkable. The last record of the death of the Protheans. This may confirm my theory, if you’re right about the Reapers as well.”

“Theory?”

Liara nodded, “A cycle of extinctions, stretching back billions of years. For a species so advanced and so widespread, there is remarkably little evidence the Protheans even existed at all. It’s as though someone wanted all evidence of them wiped from the face of the galaxy, so anyone who came after would be unaware of them. If you’re right Commander, the Reapers did it to the Protheans and they’ve been doing it for far longer than just 50,000 years.” Liara swayed on her feet slightly, a hand coming up to rub at her forehead, “Ohhhh…”

Shepard’s eyes creased with concern, “You should have Doctor Chakwas take a look at you.”

The Asari shook her head, “I’ll be fine, but thank you. I just need to lie down.”

“If you’re sure.” Shepard turned to the rest of the assembled crew, “Right. Dismissed.”

As everyone filed out, Shepard remained in the comm room, considering all the new information she’d learned. None of it was particularly useful to the mission, except for the knowledge that she needed a cipher. Where she’d get that, Shepard didn’t have a single clue. But if it could help her to completely comprehend the vision, she was certain she could learn exactly where the Conduit was and stop Saren from getting to it, or outright destroy the damn thing.

Joker’s voice interrupted her train of thought through the intercom, “Want me to patch you through to the Council?”

“No. Don’t want to waste their oh so precious time when I don’t have anything. Just send my report through.”

Joker held back laughter, “Aye, aye, ma’am.”

Shepard marched out of the comm room, considering their next move.

 

* * *

 

**Saturday, 12:40am, 9 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Artemis Tau Cluster**

Tali tapped her foot in the elevator, waiting for it to reach the bottom level of the Normandy. She’d been in her sleeping pod, tossing and turning for nearly two hours before she finally relented and got up. The silence of the Normandy kept her awake. On the Flotilla, silence meant death. It signalled a broken air filter or the engine had straight up given out. The Quarian had never slept much even with those constant sounds to lull her to sleep, but on the Normandy, Tali found it next to impossible to even begin to fall asleep.

The elevator dinged open, the door making its agonizingly slow journey open. Tali only made it a few steps towards the engine room before she froze. She could hear the gentle hum of the Tantalus core down the hallway, but there was something else. Another sound she couldn’t quite place her finger on. A grunting, the sound of heavy breathing and the grating of several bits of metal scraping together.

Tali crept away from the engine room and towards the sound, unsure of what the source could possibly be. Rounding the corner, she found it.

Commander Shepard hung from a bar, steadily raising her entire body up and down repeatedly with just her right hand. Her breathing was steady, in and out, in time with her arm’s contractions and extensions. Tali couldn’t help noticing every little thing about the Human in front of her.

Shepard had tied her long red hair up in a ponytail behind her head, exposing every inch of her pale neck. Her entire body was wreathed in biotic dark energy, giving her an almost otherworldly look. Her skin was covered in a light sheen of sweat, the lights above her making it seem as though the skin itself was shiny. Tali’s eyes travelled down, following the path of perspiration. Shepard wore only a sports bra on her chest, the path of sweat going straight between her breas-

Tali shook her head, forcing her eyes away from the Commander’s chest and down further. Past the perfectly sculpted abs and legs covered by only tight-fitting exercise pants. Shepard wore a belt around her waist, heavy chains hanging off it. Attached to the chains were several metal weights, the source of the grating noise Tali had noticed. Her eyes widened at the sight of them. If her math was correct, and it always was, those plates weighed, at a minimum, Shepard’s own body weight and probably closer to double.

Shepard was in her own world, oblivious to the other occupant of the cargo hold, loud music pounding through her earphones. She was straining through the last few pull ups, finally feeling the burn in her arm muscles she’d been searching for. She’d been disappointed to promise Doctor Chakwas she wouldn’t work out her left arm. Normally she would’ve been doing this with even more weight and both arms, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She could feel the slight heating of her implant as she exerted both physical and biotic strength to hoist her body and the heavy weights attached to her.

Finally, Shepard let go of the metal bar above her, carefully landing so as to not crush her feet with the weights. A quick press of a button and the belt dropped from her waist, Shepard sighing and stretching at the release. She looked up, finally noticing the Quarian standing a few metres away. She pulled her earphones out, smiling at the visitor.

“Hey, Tali. Still can’t sleep, huh?”

It took a few seconds for Tali to respond, momentarily still mesmerised by the sight of Shepard exercising, “Yeah!” The word came out far louder than she intended. “Too quiet, you know.” She swallowed, unsure of what to say. She looked around the area, noticing all of the weights that Shepard had been using for probably the last hour, “Bit late to be doing all this, isn’t it?”

Shepard grinned, “Probably. I find it helps me sleep though. Completely tire myself out, then poof, sleep the second my head hits the pillow.”

Tali noticed the bruising still present on Shepard’s ribs, partially hidden by her sports bra, “I doubt Doctor Chakwas would approve of it with you injured.”

The Commander held a single finger to her lips, “What the good doctor doesn’t know, won’t hurt her. I can trust you not to tell her, right?”

Shepard’s tone was playful, but Tali took it as a serious secret just between them, “Ye-yes. Of course.”

“Thanks.” Her bright smile lifted Tali’s mood greatly, “I appreciate it.”

They stood in silence for a few more moments before Tali broke it, “I’ll just be down in the engine room if you need me.” The Quarian turned on her heel before she could do or say something to embarrass herself further.

Eliza watched Tali go, eyes drawn down to her swaying hips. She shook her head once the Quarian was around the corner, noticing that her heart was beating slightly faster, and not just from the heavy exercise she’d been doing. Shrugging it off as her imagination, she resumed her training, her thoughts unknowingly drifting to the Quarian in the next room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've always laughed at the joke that, like many players, Shepard is a terrible driver of the Mako. Or at least, not very careful when she does drive it.
> 
> These chapters are taking a bit longer and are harder than I expected to write. Didn't write anything for almost a week and half. Writer's block is a bitch. Finished though! Next chapter awaits!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	6. First Meeting

Two hands lashed out to shove her in the back, the small girl stumbling forward. She looked back with tear filled eyes, only met with the harsh stare of the one who had struck her. The girl turned back to face her opponent, an equally terrified little boy. They both stared at each other, silently begging the other one to give in. Let them both get out of this alive.

“ATTACK!” The scream of frustration from the adult in the room was only met with more tears from both children, unable to obey the command. He marched forward, roughly grabbing the girl by her flame-coloured hair and tossing her forward. “DO IT! NOW!”

She stumbled to the ground, rising to all fours as she felt the exact thing she was trying to squash down build up inside her. Blue dark energy coiled around her fists and crept its way up her arms. She fell back on her heels, trying desperately to shake the glow away. “No-no-no-no…”

The person behind her grinned with satisfaction, finally getting the desired effect. If they could just figure out the exact trigger to activate these children’s biotics, they would have a much easier time dealing with their superiors. He seized the girl’s glowing arm holding it out toward the boy.

The girl tried with all her might to break the adult’s grip, begging to be let go. She couldn’t stop the outburst in time. A blue shockwave of energy thundered out of her outstretched hand, striking the boy in the direct centre of his chest. A fresh wave of tears sprung to the girl’s eyes as she cried out in complete and utter anguish. The boy’s body hit the far wall with a crunch, falling to the floor and going still.

She was finally let go, collapsing straight to the ground and curling up into a ball. Dark energy surrounded her body, an attempt at a defence mechanism. Maybe the pain would go away. Maybe she wouldn’t have to do this anymore.

Before she could even begin to come to terms with what had just happened, she was once more seized by the adult in the room. Heavy handcuffs were slapped onto her already raw wrists and ankles, the metal having worn away several layers of skin from when she’d had them on previously. Fresh drops of blood stained the metal as it chafed at her flesh. She was dragged by the chain between her hands away from the room with the boy, barely able to stay on her feet and keep pace with her captor.

She was unceremoniously kicked into a tiny room, the flare of pain in her back causing her to yelp. She could only just raise her head to look at the man. “Good job today.” His smirk said it all, even to her young mind, “Keep doing that and I might even feed you tomorrow.” His laughter echoed through her head as the door hissed closed, her chained arms wrapping around herself as she cried.

 

* * *

 

**Saturday, 4:55am, 9 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Artemis Tau Cluster**

Shepard sat up abruptly in bed with a scream, gasping for breath. Her fists glowed with her biotic power, flying out in front of her defensively. She was drenched in sweat, the nightmare still fresh in her mind as she tried to slow her racing heart. All these years later and she could still remember that bastard’s laughter. Not his face, not even the colour of his skin, but the laugh would stick with her till her dying breath, she was sure of it.

Shepard hadn’t had that particular nightmare in years. She’d been tortured by her experiences as a very young child, often waking up screaming and crying at night. Hannah had been able to sooth her back to sleep, staying with the younger Shepard until she’d fell back to sleep in her mother’s arms. For years, she’d tried to bury the memories, block them out and forget they ever happened. For the most part she’d been successful. She’d go years without even a single peep of her brutal past. But, every so often, the memories would rear their ugly head and seep into her sleeping mind.

The biotic shook out her hands, letting go of the dark energy around herself and letting it dissipate into the air. She ground the heels of her palms into her eyes, trying to get the images out of her mind. She was thankful to be the commander of a ship finally. She’d worried crew mates before when she’d woken up with a scream in her sleeping pod, all of them looking at her with a mixture of shock and pity. Rising up the ranks had made it easier, able to tell them to mind their own fucking business and leave her alone. But now, with her own cabin on the Normandy, it made it far easier. Even if, or more accurately when, she woke up like this, it didn’t matter. No one would be able to hear her in here.

Shepard threw her legs over the side of the bed, stretching her arms out above her head. She glanced at the small alarm clock on the table. 5:00am. She’d slept for about four hours. More than she normally would, so that was a victory even in and of itself.

She pulled on an N7 hoodie, padding silently out of her room. The Normandy was nearly deserted at this hour, most of the crew still asleep. There was likely a few awake manning the ship upstairs, but in the kitchen area, not a soul. Shepard sat at the table with a coffee, putting far more sugar than what would be considered a healthy amount. The drink would have the opposite effect to slowing her heart rate, but the smell had always calmed her somewhat, even if the taste was awful despite the amount of sugar she put in to offset it.

Shepard sat there looking through a few messages from the Council, mostly bureaucratic bullshit she didn’t have time for. She almost didn’t notice the large figure walk into the kitchen, get a drink and sit across from her till he was sitting right there.

Her eye flicked up, Garrus nodding his greetings, “Morning Shepard.”

She smiled back, “Morning.” Truly, she was thankful for the distraction. The nightmare was still fresh in her mind and the Council’s messages were almost sending her back to sleep. She turned off her omni-tool and leant forward, “What are you doing up so early?”

The Turian shrugged, “Turians don’t sleep much. Something to do with being basically born into the military I guess.”

Shepard decided to have a little fun, “Nah, I think it’s cause you’re basically giant birds.”

Garrus stared at the Human sitting across from him for a moment. Her expression was serious, but he could tell from her eyes that she was trying to make fun of him, “Birds, huh? Some apex predator from Earth I assume? Can’t sleep cause they’re too awesome?”

The biotic rolled her eyes, “Not precisely what I had in mind.” A smirk crossed her features, “Give you feathers, and bam, pigeon.” Shepard watched with amusement as Garrus’ visor looked up exactly what a pigeon was and what it looked like.

The Turian chuckled in that deep voice, “You’re not far off the mark with that Shepard.” A couple of images flashed by with some Turian script Shepard couldn’t read, “Though I’d say we’re closer to eagles. Or even falcons.”

She smiled over her coffee, flitting her eyes up to meet the alien’s gaze, “If you were like them, maybe you would’ve won the First Contact War.”

They held each other’s gaze for several moments, daring the other to break first. Shepard’s taunt had gotten slightly under Garrus’ skin. Luckily for her, in a good way. As one, they burst out laughing, quickly quieting themselves when they both remembered what time it was. They sat in silence for several minutes, Shepard sipping with distaste at her coffee, and Garrus drinking whatever it was that Turian’s drank to wake up.

The seven-foot Turian broke the silence finally, “Heard you got into a fist fight with a Krogan.”

“That I did.” Shepard rubbed absent-mindedly at her nose, all too aware that the huge alien had managed to crack the bone beneath it. “Gave me a run for my money, that’s for sure.” She grinned, “But as Wrex will tell you, nothing that can’t be solved with a good solid headbutt.”

Garrus chuckled for a moment before resuming a serious yet playful expression, “I’m amazed you survived.”

Shepard cocked an eyebrow, “Oh? Whys that?”

“Humans aren’t known for their… physical capabilities.” Garrus failed spectacularly at finding the right words to voice his statement.

Shepard tilted her head, looking the Turian up and down, “I think I do alright. Could take you pretty easily.” She unconsciously flexed the muscles in her arms, not that the Turian would be able to see them under her hoodie.

“Oh? Is that a challenge?” A mixture of surprise and intrigue crossed Garrus’ features.

A cocky grin pulled at the edges of Shepard’s lips, “You better believe it.” She raised her hand, twirling her fingers slightly with dark energy. A biotic field surrounded the chairs on either side of her, slowly lifting off the ground till they were above the table, “Distract you with these,” Her other hand came up, tightening into a fist and glowing with barely contained biotic power, “Then hit you with a couple of these. Boom, you’re on the ground, out cold.”

Garrus didn’t even flinch at Shepard’s display, continuing with his drink. After a sip, he spoke, “And what if I say no biotics?”

Shepard let the chairs down easily, before leaning forward in her own, getting as close as she could without actually climbing on the table. Garrus was unsure of this move, leaning back slightly. “I’d still win.” Shepard said the words with a wink, getting up from her chair and taking her coffee towards her room.

The door closed, leaving a slightly stunned and confused Turian sitting alone. He only unfroze a few moments later, fluttering his mandibles as he shook his head. “Fuck… she would.” He chuckled to himself before rising from the table, making his way to the elevator and descending into the bowels of the Normandy.

Shepard sat down at her desk, pushing the coffee to one side and running her fingers through her fiery hair. She blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the sleep in her eyes before booting up the small computer on the desk. Her fingers worked rapidly over the keyboard, searching for information about both Noveria and Feros. They’d need to go to both of them, but she still wasn’t sure which one would be the best to go to first.

They’d both had sightings of Geth that much was the same between the two. From what she could find on the extranet, Feros was almost entirely uninhabited, only a tiny colony founded by one ExoGeni Corporation to study the numerous Prothean ruins that dotted the surface. Noveria was significantly more established, home to many different companies’ research labs. But, so many news stories out of the frozen world were of the disturbing and illegal experiments that were rumoured to be performed there, outside of Council jurisdiction. Even being a Spectre wouldn’t get her far there.

Feros did seem the more promising of the two, and far more accessible to the young Commander. With as many Prothean ruins as there were on the surface, perhaps there was even a chance of finding the Cipher that Liara said she’d need to fully comprehend her vision. Shepard was amazed the vision hadn’t amalgamated itself into her nightmare somehow. She sighed. There was still time for that.

According to the small dossier she’d received from the Council and the Alliance, the colony that had been set up on Feros had stopped reporting in a couple of days ago, and with sightings of Geth in the area, there was little doubt in Shepard’s mind that the small research post was important to Saren somehow. That meant she had to get there soon. Noveria could wait, and more importantly, actually had the necessary defences to hold off the Geth for some time if it came to it. If the extranet was correct, nearly every research facility on the planet had enough firepower to hold off a small army. Really just more evidence that what they were doing was highly illegal, but it made Shepard surer she could put off going there for at least a little bit of time.

A few minutes passed as Shepard tried to find all the information she could about what may have caused the settlement to go dark. Both the extranet and her sources came up short. Whatever ExoGeni was actually doing there, they didn’t want anyone to find out and had put out absolutely zero information beyond that they were even there. The more she researched the planet, the less pleased and more annoyed she became. ExoGeni seemed to have all the rights to the planet, right down to colonization and controlling who even landed on the damn thing. Luckily for her, it was still in Council space, and they couldn’t stop a Spectre from touching down even if they wanted to.

Shepard was startled from her concentration by an incoming call. Her eye’s widened at the ID of the caller and scrambled out of her chair, throwing her hoodie off and searching around for a uniform shirt. All the while, the call rang in her ears, almost deafening in its volume. She found what she was looking, pulling the Alliance regulation fatigue shirt over her chest and sitting back down. Shepard rapidly ran her hands over the shirt, smoothing out the obvious creases and tried to make sure her hair didn’t stick out everywhere like it normally did in the mornings. Once she was satisfied it was at least presentable, she answered the call, hand immediately shooting up in a salute.

“Admiral Hackett.” Shepard could feel a few droplets of sweat form on her forehead. She’d never been directly contacted by an Admiral before, always through an intermediary. For one of the Alliance Military’s most decorated and high-ranking officials to call her directly, there must be something serious.

“At ease, Commander.” Shepard relaxed, but only slightly. She allowed her hand to lower and rest in her lap, fidgeting below the table where Hackett couldn’t see. “I’m aware you have your own mission, but I need your help with a matter of some importance.”

Shepard almost stammered, but managed to get her voice under control and speak calmly, “Of course, Admiral. Anything you need.”

Hackett continued, “There’s an Alliance training ground where we test weapons and technology in live-fire simulations. One of the VIs we use to simulate enemy tactics in the drills is no longer responding to override commands. Simply put, it’s gone rouge.”

“Has anyone been injured by it?” Shepard knew the question was probably out of turn, but she needed to know if what she was walking into was a death-trap or a routine mission.

Hackett nodded gravely, “Unfortunately, the VI has killed an entire squad of Alliance soldiers. It turned on them and used every weapon it had access to, gunning them down in seconds.”

“Sorry to hear that, sir.” Shepard considered her next question, “Why me, sir? Surely you could bomb the ground from orbit and destroy the VI in the process?”

“Were it anywhere else, that would likely be our response. The training ground is on the Moon.” Hackett waited several seconds for Shepard to process the new information, “You can see my predicament. As to why I called you, you’re connected enough to the Alliance military that you can perform the mission without retaliation from Alliance command but disjointed enough to operate without a direct mandate and mission clearance from us.”

Shepard’s suspicion grew, “Excuse the insubordination but, I’m assuming then that the VI or the facilities themselves aren’t entirely aboveboard, sir?”

Hackett shook his head, “They are, but with the VI ignoring commands, I believe it’s best to handle this quietly, lest the Alliance be accused of attempting to create an AI.”

Shepard immediately understood the implications of Hackett’s call, “Of course, sir. I’ll head to the Sol System immediately.”

“Thank you, Commander. Hackett, out.”

The screen shut off, leaving Shepard in the slight darkness of her room. She drummed her fingers on the table as she considered what she’d just heard. What was the Alliance doing hosting training on the Moon, and especially with what seemed to be highly dangerous weaponry? So close to Earth, they were just begging for a mishap. And it looked like they’d gotten one. From how Hackett sounded, it didn’t sound like the VI would be able to get off the Moon, they’d probably at least had the foresight to host it on a private network and ensure it couldn’t get out into the extranet. That would’ve been far from pretty if they hadn’t.

Shepard quickly pulled her full fatigues on, marching out of her room and up to the flight deck. She barely responded to the few greetings she got, mind racing with thoughts of Feros and the upcoming mission on the Moon. She'd been to Earth’s only major satellite once, as a tourist. Hannah had taken her there as a teenager to see the original Moon landing site. Fairly unimpressive compared to the modern technology she was used to, but an amazing feat nonetheless.

She barely noticed she’d made it to the cockpit, startled out of her thoughts by Joker, “All good, Shepard?”

“Set course for the Moon.”

“Okay...” Joker paused for a second, taking in what he’d just heard, “Wait, what? Which Moon?”

Shepard grinned, “THE Moon. Hackett’s orders.”

At the mention of the Admiral’s name, Joker sprang into action, immediately plotting the course. He looked back to see Shepard marching away, “Not gonna tell me why, are you?”

“Sure aren't.” Shepard laughed over her shoulder as she made her way back down to her room.

Once more, Shepard felt the subtle shift of the Normandy’s mass effect drive in her implant as it changed course. She'd always wondered why other biotics couldn’t feel it as she could. Maybe they didn’t have the finer control necessary to detect such small changes in the surrounding fields. Then again, she had only ever asked other Human biotics. And, as far as she knew, Shepard was the most powerful Human biotic currently alive. Maybe Liara would be able to shed some light on it. The average Asari were generally far stronger in biotics than the average Human, and surely the doctor was no exception. She'd either have the answer, or Shepard would just be left with more questions.

Shepard came back to her room, calmly pulling her fatigue shirt off and pulling a suit of under armour out. She raised her arm up, inspecting the bruise across her ribs. After only a day, it seemed to have at least reduced in size and looked less serious than she’d previously thought. A few finger presses sent a hiss through her teeth, telling her it definitely wasn’t better yet. Even with the wonders of modern medicine and Doctor Chakwas’ expertise, broken bones still took a little bit of time to fully heal. Unfortunately for Shepard, there wouldn’t be time for likely a while. She'd just have to try harder not to get injured.

Her arm on the other hand, felt a lot better. Her fingers had been stiff and hard to move the previous night. Shepard had strongly considered disobeying the doctor’s orders and working out with both arms, but now she was glad she didn’t. Chakwas had informed her that while the bullet had torn through her armour, the actual wound itself was glancing at worst. It had taken away a fair chunk of skin and muscle beneath it, but nothing vital to the use of her limb. Shepard decided to leave the bandage on, probably better than taking it off and feeling the under-armour scrape directly over the wound the entire mission. She moved her fingers every which way, satisfied as she balled them into a fist and released several times over to make sure.

She slipped the N7 hoodie back on, grabbing her soft armour and making her way down to the lower levels of the Normandy.

 

* * *

 

**Saturday, 4:10pm, 9 th of January 2183**

**Luna, Sol System**

 

The Mako slammed down onto the lunar surface, Shepard pulling it into a quick power slide to dissipate the momentum. She’d had Joker drop it a significant distance from the base with the rogue VI. She hadn’t been told if it had any outer defences, but the biotic was not about to take the chance and risk the Normandy is she was wrong. And driving the Mako in lower gravity environments was always fun.

Shepard launched the Mako off a small cliff, much to the dismay of two of her passengers and joy of the last. Tali and Garrus gripped their seats for dear life the entire ride, every time they were on the flat grabbing at where their hearts were situated under their armour. Wrex on the other hand, was loving every second. His booming laughter joined Shepard’s as they went off each cliff or ascended a hill and got a little bit of air. As they got closer, Shepard drove much more conservatively, carefully searching the horizon for the base and scanning for any defences that might pop up.

The small structures finally popped into view; a few buildings separated by small swaths of the rocky ground. Scans from the Mako told Shepard that they were all interconnected and led to a large facility underneath the surface. She couldn’t tell anything further than that, the facility’s defences could not be read from out here. From what Hackett had told her, only the bottom section housed the VI testing areas, but these would be swarming with drones and mechanical resistance. It was entirely possible the VI had taken over the smaller turrets closer to the surface, and Shepard automatically assumed the worst.

Seeing no outer turrets or enemies, Shepard pulled the Mako up right next to the closest building, jumping out onto the Moon’s surface. She made her way over to the door, noting that the door had been locked from the inside. The outer control panel gave no way to open it, completely locked down, presumably by the rogue VI.

“Tali, do you mind?”

The Quarian marched forward, feeling around the edge of the panel before pulling it clean off. She looked at the wiring for barely a second, reaching out and fiddling with a few. The door opened after a moment, Shepard nodding her gratitude and moving inside.

The entire interior was pitch black; all of the lighting had been switched off. Shepard turned on the small flashlight on her assault rifle, making her way carefully down the set of stairs and deeper into the base. It wasn’t long before they started coming across bodies, strewn about nearly every room. In the first few rooms, there was no sign they were even dead, only lying on the floor. Rolling one onto his back provided the answer. He had been asphyxiated from a complete lack of oxygen. His skin blue from the cold vacuum of space, veins bubbling up to the surface of his skin. The VI had vented the atmosphere from the base, killing every single person it hadn’t managed to with the advanced weaponry it had access to.

As they got further in, evidence of the turrets and machines the VI could use became obvious. Bodies in pools of frozen blood, faces locked in the terror of their final moments. Each had no more than two bullet wounds, the accuracy with which they’d been fired only achievable by a machine. The machines that had killed them, nowhere to be seen.

“Keep your eyes open. We don’t need to get jumped.” Shepard didn’t bother to alter the volume of her voice, knowing it would only transmit over the encrypted radio channel her squad shared. Their surroundings had no atmosphere, nothing to carry the soundwaves beyond their exo-suits.

The squad proceeded cautiously down a set of stairs, still in complete darkness. Shepard and Wrex led them, while Tali and Garrus brought up the rear. They stopped at the bottom, faced with a security door. Unlocked. Strange. A quick scan of the room through the door showed several heat signatures, clearly distinguishable from the utter cold of their surroundings. Security-mechs.

Shepard opened the door, quickly dropping behind a small barricade in front of them. Right next to her was a body, a marine shot down as she tried to defend from the VI’s onslaught. There was a single bullet wound, right through the centre of her helmet’s visor. Blood and bits of brain splattered the ground behind the body, the bullet piercing straight through the helmet, skull, brains and finally out the back. The mechs were outfitted with armour-piercing rounds. This wasn’t good.

The squad felt the silent impacts of projectiles hitting their cover. It wouldn’t last long if Shepard’s prediction about their ammunition was correct. Quickly, the Commander gave her commands, Wrex moving off in one direction while she moved in the other. Tali and Garrus stayed put, waiting for the other two to get into position.

Shepard gave the signal the instant the machine’s attack stopped, her and Wrex leaping over their cover and marching towards the enemy. Blasts of their shotguns, couple with Garrus’ sniper fire and Tali’s overloads overwhelmed the VI’s defences. One last mech managed to drop behind cover, Shepard taking a chance and sprinting straight for it. Using the Moon’s lower gravity, she leapt forward, sailing over the small barricade. Just as she passed over the top of her target, she grabbed its head, using biotic strength to whirl it up and over her head, before finally slamming it head first into the ground. If it was an organic target, bones would’ve turned to dust. Being synthetic, she had to settle for its hard-outer shell crumpling and the lights indicating its functionality abruptly switching off.

The speed of her jump caused Shepard to slide slightly once she hit the ground, slamming into the next door and almost tumbling into the next room when it opened abruptly behind her. She collected herself, reorienting her weapon and proceeding forward.

Shepard edged into the next room, sweeping for any hostiles. She found none, bringing up the base’s schematics and trying to figure out where they were.

“We’re in the control room. Should be able to shut down the VI remotely.”

Tali moved ahead of the Commander, typing into the still functional control panel in the centre of the room. “Not from here. It’s locked out all remote access to its processers. We're going to need to be physically next to its servers for this to work.”

“Damnit. Let’s keep moving then.”

“One second.” Shepard turned back to the Quarian, three-fingered hands moving rapidly over the controls. All at once, the lighting of the base turned back on and the rooms began to fill back up with the required atmosphere. “That should make things a little easier from here on out.”

“Great job.” Shepard turned her full attention to the Quarian, noticing too late the door further into the base hissing open. She couldn’t react fast enough to the mechs marching in.

Tali surprised herself with a burst of speed and acrobatics. She vaulted over the console, covering the distance between her and Shepard in less than a second, tackling the Human behind another smaller console, just as bullets whizzed by over their heads.

Wrex moved forward with his arm outstretched, blocking every bullet with a biotic barrier. “HA! You’re gonna need something bigger than that!” He made it to the nearest one, reaching forward and tearing the arm off the mech holding its weapon with a single hand. He proceeded to beat the mech into the ground with the appendage, crushing its outer housing and deactivating it with brutal efficiency.

Other mech’s heads exploded with each projectile leaving Garrus’ sniper, having withdrawn to the far side of the room. Only the barrel and a small amount of his head was visible over the cover, none of the mechs able to hit the small target.

The two finished off the remaining forces, Wrex not even firing a single shot, only ripping apart the mechs with his bare hands and some biotics. Garrus had taken out his fair share, his sniper very close to overheating from firing so much.

Shepard and Tali were still on the ground, Tali lying on top of the Commander in a protective manner. Shepard looked down at the other woman covering her body, almost every inch of it covered aside from her head. The Quarian finally opened her eyes, realising her visor was pressed firmly into the centre of Shepard’s chest armour. She quickly stood up, turning away and sincerely hoping the blush on her cheeks wasn’t visible through her the opaque glass of her helmet. She could feel her heart starting to speed up, trying to control her breathing and slow it down.

Shepard remained on the floor for a moment before climbing back to her feet, retrieving her rifle from where it had fallen. She looked curiously over at Tali, pondering her actions. It was obvious to everyone that Shepard constantly had a biotic barrier up and only the most explosive of projectiles would truly break through it. Even the armour piercing rounds the mechs were using would only lightly scratch her armour if they made it through at all. And yet, Tali had put herself in harm's way to get Shepard out of the line of fire.

“Thanks.” The only response she could think of. Thinking further about it would have to wait till later. They had a mission to focus on.

“Anytime.” Tali’s answer left Shepard with no more clue as to why Tali had thrown herself forward like that.

Shepard shook her head, moving ahead without another word. The squad jogged quickly to catch up, forming back up into a diamond shape, Wrex bringing up the rear and Shepard in front. The hallways and rooms became progressively smaller as they descended further into the base, and at the same time, the mechs became more advanced and increased in number. Wrex took to heading up the squad, using his large bulk and near immunity it seemed to small arms fire to protect his smaller squad mates.

Soon, they made it to the bottom of the entire facility. The last door was heavily reinforced and looked as though a bomb had hit it. The entirety of it was covered with black soot, from the outside. Bodies lay over nearly every square inch of floor up to the door, all facing away. All running. Shepard swallowed, almost hesitating with opening the final obstacle.

Pushing past it, the Commander pushed the button. The door hissed open slowly, revealing a cavernous room at the base of the facility. On the far side, their goal, a small mass of data banks and processors, protected by several layers of ballistic glass and what looked like a very complicated locking mechanism on the single door into the server room. They edged forward, all four of the squad with weapons at the ready.

Immediately, sirens blared all around the room, almost deafening in their volume. Security mechs and turrets started up everywhere, forcing the Normandy’s squad to dive behind whatever cover they could. Tali and Shepard ended up behind the ruins of a smaller version of the Mako, the engine destroyed and the entire thing completely unusable. Garrus found cover near the back, a makeshift sniper’s nest. He began taking out targets left and right, wasting no time with unnecessary orders from their leader.

Wrex simply stared forward, smiling beneath his helmet. The sort of smile that would terrify any enemy who saw it. They would know, their death had come. His arms raised up, hefting his huge shotgun in one hand, his assault rifle in the other. “I. AM. KROGAN!” The enormous alien charged forward with speed only a true Battlemaster could muster. He ignored every bullet that penetrated his armour, firing both weapons with ruthless accuracy. The Krogan carved a path across the room, his bellowing laughter making it through his helmet and echoing throughout the room. Every few steps, slamming a foot down and sending a biotic shockwave carving through his enemies. While not as powerful as the ones Shepard could produce, she was nonetheless impressed.

For her part, Tali stayed behind cover, omni-tool working overtime to hack through the complicated firewalls on both the mainframe of the VI as well as the individual mechs and turrets. Several of them self-destructed, Tali managing to overheat their power cores and causing cascading failures until they simply burst into flames. Any mechs who managed to get even close to Tali were quickly blasted apart with her shotgun, or taken out by Garrus.

Shepard managed to get behind Wrex, using him as cover while she fired at any enemy she could spot. Occasionally she’d pull a mech toward herself, the Krogan simply turning one weapon to the side and blasting it into small pieces. She joined in with the biotics display, shockwaves flying off in every direction, mechs and turrets being ripped apart from a distance. She’d trap one in a stasis field, only for it to have its head blown off by the Turian at the back.

Wrex approached the end of the room, finally ducking behind cover. He was breathing hard, his wounds finally getting to him. He worked himself over with medi-gel, wounds closing over and pain subsiding. As he made to get up again, Shepard almost had to push him back to cover, “Stay down, we’ve got this.” The Krogan reluctantly nodded, partially disobeying and continuing to take out their enemy with his assault rifle. Shepard figured that was the best she was going to get out of him.

Shepard yelled out over the noise of their battle, “Tali! Get to me!”

The Quarian made a break for it, her shield only just holding back the few rounds that were fired at her, having to slide into the cover next to Shepard to avoid the rest. “What’s the plan?”

“We need to shut this thing down. You need to get into its servers and turn it off.”

Wrex protested, “Just blow the damn thing up.” He was more disappointed that Shepard didn’t want to see the explosion more than any concern for the risk of her plan.

The Commander shook her head, “No. This thing has too much tactical value. The fight it’s putting up is amazing, we need to save it if we can. Maybe tweak the whole ‘kill everyone that isn’t me’ thing though.”

The Krogan laughed, “That just makes it more fun.”

“Garrus! Clear Tali and I a path to the server room.”

“Aye aye, Commander.” The Turian refocused his efforts, firing at the mechs directly in their path.

Shepard led Tali the rest of the way, focused on holding up a biotic barrier around them both, only occasionally firing off a volley of bullets at their enemy. Once at the final door, it took Tali several moments to actually open it, both women leaping in and shutting the armoured door behind them. The Quarian immediately moved to the control console, beginning the process to shut the VI down.

The VI sensed its impending doom, turning all of its efforts into getting them away from its central processors. Every mech and turret ignored Garrus and Wrex’s attacks, firing directly at the door to the servers, the metal giving a none-too encouraging groan under that onslaught.

“Better hurry Tali, I don’t think this thing is going to hold much longer.” Shepard readied herself, standing just beyond the door, prepared to unleash her biotics and drive the synthetics back if they happened to get through.

“Almost there.” Tali’s voice gave some relief to Shepard, until others brought dread, “Uhhh… we might have a problem.”

“What? What problem?” Shepard couldn’t keep the desperation out of her voice.

“This thing is overriding my commands, it’s like its learning to combat whatever I do.” Tali felt the colour drain from her face, actually visible beyond the mask, “It is becoming self-aware. Hackett lied to you Shepard.”

Shepard looked away from the Quarian, considering the gravity of her words. If Hackett had lied about what they were actually doing here and Tali was right… this would irrevocably damage the Humans’ standing in the galaxy. Shepard quickly squashed the anger building up in her chest, focusing back on the mission. “I’ll deal with it later, I promise. Can you shut it down?”

Tali didn’t answer, too intent on doing exactly that. The door to the server room buckled inwards, finally unable to put up much more resistance to the constant gunfire. Shepard reinforced it with a barrier, putting as much effort into it as she could. Holes began to appear in the metal, bullets forcing their way through and colliding with the Commander’s barrier.

Shepard’s eyes widened at a mech that had managed to get through the combined assault of Wrex and Garrus, holding a rocket launcher. It fired without hesitation, splintering the door into glowing metal fragments. Only the barrier remained to hold back the attack.

“I can’t hold this much longer Tali.” Shepard could feel sweat start to bead under her helmet, running down her spine. Her implant was beginning to heat up from overuse. The mechs outside marched forward, coming all the way up to the barrier itself, firing at point-blank range. The Commander moved forward herself, physically pushing back on the barrier as well as maintaining it with her biotics.

A robotic arm burst through the field, grabbing onto Shepard’s shoulder and yanking her forward till the side of her helmet was pressed up against the barrier. The new stance made it even harder to hold the barrier up under constant fire, “Anytime now Tali.”

Just as she felt the barrier start to fizzle out, Tali input the last command. “Done!” The mechs all collapsed into heaps of metal and wires, many with huge holes through them from Garrus’ sniper or Wrex’s shotgun. Shepard let go of the barrier, falling onto her back, the mech that had grabbed her descending with the Human. She felt the weight crash directly onto her still tender ribs, hissing with pain.

Tali hurried over, pulling the mech off the Commander with some effort. “You ok, Shepard? Talk to me.”

Shepard chuckled slightly at the concerned tone in her voice, “I’m fine. It’ll take more than that to take me down.” She sat up, groaning and clutching at her side, “Ok… may have broken another rib.”

Wrex walked through the door, laughing at the Commander on the ground, “Humans… so fragile.” There were so many holes in the ancient Krogan’s armour, Shepard couldn’t exactly retort back at him.

“Can’t all have entire sets of redundant organs.”

“And that’s what makes Krogan the best species in the galaxy.” He said it so matter-of-factly, not even hint of a smile crossing his face. “I will say though Shepard,” The smile finally broke out across Wrex’s features, “You sure know how to find a good fight.”

She got back to her feet, laying a hand briefly on her side before letting it fall away, “Always. I’m like a magnet for trouble.” Shepard looked carefully allowed the server room, scowling at the control console for the VI, every light on it now extinguished. She had an unpleasant conversation ahead of her. She’d have to be very careful with how she phrased it, or she just might end up with more trouble than even she was used to. “Let’s get out of here. Think I’ve had enough of this place.”

 

* * *

 

**Saturday, 8:30pm, 9 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Sol System**

 

With her newly broken rib bandaged up, and herself suitably scolded by Doctor Chakwas, Shepard sat down heavily at the seat in her quarters. She leaned forward, resting her forehead on the desk. This was going to be a difficult conversation. She’d accused superiors of wrong-doing before, but this was on a whole other level. Best to get it over and done with. She pressed the button, making the call.

Admiral Hackett’s face appeared on the small screen, saluting the Commander, returned with barely a second’s hesitation. “Commander. From your report, the mission was a success then?”

“Yes, sir.”

Hackett nodded, his expression serious for being seemingly pleased with the outcome, “Thank you for handling it so quickly. And with discretion.” The words were said with a pointed stare, almost daring Shepard to say what she was about to.

She held her tongue for the moment, waiting for the right opportunity, “The VI was shut down. I assume it has been recovered from the base, sir?”

“There’s a team on route now to do it, yes. Black Ops, of course.” He stared at the Commander for a moment, his expression softening somewhat, but still with an underlying look of suspicion, “Is there anything else, Commander?”

Shepard slowly breathed out, psyching herself up, “With all due respect, Admiral, you didn’t exactly tell me everything my squad would be walking in to.”

“I told you everything necessary to the success of your mission. Some things need to remain classified for the safety of everyone.”

“Classified, like creating a fully self-aware AI?” Shepard’s tone caught he Admiral slightly off-guard. If he was honest, he’d been expecting this. Shepard was ever like her mother, not capable of seeing wrongdoing and doing nothing about it. “Sir, this wasn’t a VI gone rogue. It hadn’t just killed every soldier within the testing facilities. It had vented the atmosphere of the entire base. It deliberately killed everyone in there to ensure its own survival. VIs don’t have self-preservation instincts like that. They don’t do ‘whatever is necessary’ to ensure their own survival. You almost sent me and my squad to our deaths. We’re just very lucky we had Miss Zorah there to shut down the VI properly.”

“Indeed.” The Admiral carefully considered his next words, “I’m going to share something with you Shepard, and I need you to swear never to tell another soul.” The Commander’s eyes narrowed before nodding cautiously. “That entire base was set up to study VI and how we could improve them for battlefield scenarios. Better tactics, better adapting to new circumstances. A Black Ops division of the Alliance was put in charge of it. Codename; Cerberus.” He paused, seeing no recognition in Shepard’s eyes. Probably for the best. “Cerberus took a different approach. Attempting to create an AI. From what you saw, they’ve very nearly succeeded. And I’m sure they’ll try again. They don’t report to me, so don’t ask me to shut them down, I can’t.”

Shepard was stunned. She’d never even heard of Cerberus. “So, you didn’t entirely know what we’d be walking into?”

“No. I had my suspicions, but nothing concrete. I chose your team specifically Shepard. I doubt anyone else would’ve gotten out unscathed.” He paused for a moment, waiting to see if Shepard would say anything more. “If that is all, Commander?”

“Nothing else, sir.”

“Good. Hackett out.” The screen went dark, plunging Shepard back into darkness. She sat for a few moments, utterly still. This was a lot to take in. One more mystery the Alliance was trying to hide.

Shepard suddenly had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was almost certain this wasn’t the last she’d seen or heard of Cerberus. And she every much doubted it would be good when they popped up again. She almost called Hannah, but decided against it. Her mother was likely already worried enough about what she was doing. She didn’t need to add secret division of the Alliance that may not be so good to that list.

She sighed, bringing her research on Feros back onto the small screen. They’d have to get there soon and stop the Geth from whatever they were doing. The mission to the Moon had wasted enough time as it was. Shepard barely made any progress before the thoughts of Cerberus came back into her head. She stared at the same report about ExoGeni for several minutes, absorbing nothing as her mind wandered. Turning the computer off, Shepard left her room and went straight to the cargo bay, hoping her nightly workout would refocus her onto the task at hand.

 


	7. The Cipher

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this ended up a HELL of a lot longer than I originally intended. About double. Not really any particular spot I could split it up. Oh well. Here it is anyway.

**Monday, 7:00am, 11 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Theseus System**

Shepard felt the Normandy drop out of massless space, continuing to attempt her repairs on her damaged armour. She still hadn’t managed to fix the crack in her helmet from where the Krogan had headbutt her on Therum and it was beginning to annoy her. While she could replace the entire visor, it always felt like a waste. The normal methods didn’t want to cooperate, the specialised gel that normally repaired the reinforced glass sliding off like it was water.

Shepard’s helmet dropped to the table with a groan of frustration, putting both hands down and hanging her head. All the other repairs to her armour had gone easily, mostly just scratches easily buffed out or shallow gouges that required simple procedures and materials to fix.

“ _ETA to Feros 1 hour._ ” Joker’s voice echoed through the cargo bay, Shepard putting the damaged piece of armour to the side for now.

She was already outfitted with a new set of armour, undamaged and unused. Shepard chuckled to herself, realising she’d been injured more in the last couple of days than the almost year previously. Being a Spectre was a dangerous profession apparently. Who knew it wouldn’t just involve charming the pants off alien spies and having perfect accuracy without trying? All those movies had lied to her.

Shepard set off for the engine room, nodding to Ashley and Kaidan getting ready for the mission as she passed. Being a predominately Human occupied world, she’d decided to take them both, assuming any ExoGeni employees would be more inclined to cooperate if they were familiar with them all. Tali, as always, was coming because Shepard knew they’d be facing Geth and the Quarian was invaluable.

The engineering room was abuzz with activity as the Commander walked in, an engineer almost colliding with her before correcting course and hurrying on with his duties. Tali was hunched over a console, already outfitted for the mission with shotgun and pistol fastened to her hips. Shepard casually leaned on the railing next to her, watching all the engineers running around, “Everything’s okay in here, right?” She’d tried to say it nonchalantly, but couldn’t keep the slight hint of worry out of her voice. Shepard didn’t pretend to understand how 90 percent of the Normandy’s systems functioned, preferring to leave it to trained professionals like Tali.

Tali answered without looking up, “We had a few of the DRAs overload while we were coming out of the relay.” Seeing the concerned look on Shepard’s face, the Quarian quickly clarified, “My changes to the drive core’s emissions had unexpected consequences. So, basically my fault. It’s nothing major. Just the heat diffusion system failing.”

The reassurance did nothing to quell Shepard’s concerns, “That sounds major, Tali. I’d really prefer not to be cooked alive.”

A small laugh came from the alien, “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine, you’re hot enough already.” Her hands froze over the console, turning her head towards Shepard, her voice rushing out before she could stop it, “I mean in body temperature, Humans are generally pretty hot. Compared to say Turians, who are cold blooded. Not to say you aren’t attractive, because you are, but that’s not what I meant of course when I said it...” Tali’s stammering voice stopped, trying to calm herself. “Keelah... Can we pretend I didn’t say all that?”

Shepard’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly. She almost commented back, but chose to not embarrass the Quarian any further with words. “Say what?” Tali thought for just a moment it had all been in her head before she noticed the slight darkening of Shepard’s cheeks and a flirty wink. The engineer quickly averted her gaze, busying herself with the console once more. “We’ll be at Feros pretty soon. Want me to come grab you when it’s time?”

Tali nodded, trying to speak as little as possible to avoid tripping over her own words again, “That’d be great. I'll keep trying to fix this till then.”

The Quarian’s comment had affected Shepard far more than she’d like to admit, trying and failing to push it from her mind. She backed away, keeping her eyes on the engine room as a whole, not on the alien in question, certainly not on her lower half and definitely not on her backside. She almost ran into the wall before a railing stopped her, making a loud clang as her armour crashed into it. Several engineers turned at the sound, but luckily for Shepard, Tali was too engrossed in fixing the ship to notice. She quickly spun on her heel and exited before she could make an even bigger fool of herself.

 

* * *

 

**Monday, 8:10am, 11 th of January 2183**

**ExoGeni Colony, Feros**

Shepard and her chosen squad stood in the airlock, the tapping of the Commander’s foot echoing in the small space as they waited for the Normandy to fully dock. “ _Equalizing interior pressure, with exterior atmosphere. Logged. The commanding officer is ashore. XO Pressley has the deck._ ” Finally, the door opened with a mechanical whirring, the four of them quickly making their way off the ship.

Shepard rounded the corner from the docking equipment first, a single man standing further down the dock. He gave a short wave, not even introducing himself before talking, “We saw your ship approaching. Fai Dan wants to speak with you upstairs.”

The Commander barely had a chance to nod before the enemy made itself known. A Geth fired its weapon, shredding through the man’s chest and spattering Shepard’s chest with blood. The squad all quickly dived behind cover, small barricades on the dock, just barely big enough to hide them. How had the Geth snuck up on them so efficiently? Their scans of the dock hadn’t picked the synthetics up at all.

Shepard ended up squeezed next to Tali, lying low on the ground, their cover not even tall enough to allow them to fully sit up. Kaidan and Ashley were further back, their covers slightly bigger and able to properly crouch to shoot at their enemy while still protecting themselves from return fire. The air was soon filled with projectiles, keeping the Human and Quarian pinned down. The other two did their best, blasting apart the synthetics, but they just kept coming. Shepard stared at the small display on the inside of her helmet, her suit’s computer only showing garbled static where there would normally be a small radar map. Great, the Geth had them trapped AND were jamming their equipment.

The waves of enemies soon began to lessen, Shepard being able to move enough to grab a grenade from her belt, tossing it toward the enemy. She was satisfied with her throw, hearing several Geth’s deactivation whines when it went off. Shepard glanced over at Tali, watching as the Quarian put the finishing touches on her hack. With one last keystroke, the jamming abruptly ended, the radar on her heads-up-display springing to life. A grin sprang to Shepard’s features as she noted there were only three Geth left to destroy.

The Commander jumped out of cover, pulling her shotgun free with one smooth motion. She marched forward with her biotic barrier produced by one hand, shotgun wielded in the other. She strode right to the first Geth, blasting through its chest at point blank range. The second tried to take her down, bullets bouncing harmlessly off her barrier. Shepard stowed her shotgun, concentrating her biotic power before releasing, her entire body rushing toward the enemy. At the last possible instant, she twisted in the air, using the acceleration to grab the Geth and swing it around, rocketing it towards the final synthetic. Both went down in a tangle of metal limbs, all their vital systems being crushed in the impact. Shepard landed lightly on her feet, immediately pulling her assault rifle free and moving onward.

“Joker, lock down the Normandy. No one is to go in or out unless I say.”

“ _Roger that, Shepard._ ” Shepard heard the Normandy’s outer door shut with the mechanism sealing itself as though it was in outer space.

The Normandy’s squad regrouped, stalking further along the dock. They ran into no more Geth in the docking bay itself, though they could hear the synthetics further on. Shepard led them out, coming into a huge concrete stairwell. One glance over the edge showed it went down until it was almost completely out of sight, individual floors indiscernible from the ones next to them. The opening further down was utterly covered by rubble, no way through. The only way they could go, was up.

Shepard’s head whipped around at a sound, barely seeing the shadow of the Geth fly through the air. All four paused for a few moments, waiting for the Geth to leap back over the chasm that was the stairwell. Nothing happened, not even the sound of it possibly moving over the walls. Slowly, the Commander edged further along, beginning to climb the stairs further up, staying alert the whole time. They made it halfway to the next floor before the Geth finally decided it was time to attack.

The synthetic leapt into the stairwell, firing its small head mounted weapon straight at them. Luckily for the organics, it had fired while moving, missing by a wide enough margin to not even cause them to flinch. Three assault rifles and a shotgun fired at once, dismembering the Geth almost instantly. It still wasn’t completely deactivated, Tali marching forward and firing one more blast into its chest. The Quarian’s distaste for the machines was obvious, but she had a fair reason to be that way at least.

They ran into no more Geth, quickly moving through empty stairwells and hallways before finally arriving at the ExoGeni colony. The colonists almost fired upon them before noticing they were organic, quickly apologising for their mistake and thanking them for coming.

“Thank god you’ve come. We’d begun to give up hope.” The colonist looked behind them, “Wait… Where’s David?”

Shepard always hated giving bad news to people, “I’m sorry. The Geth got him before we could stop it.”

An extremely brief expression of mourning crossed the colonists face before disappearing just as quick. Shepard was confused by this, but didn’t have time to process, “He knew the risks going to meet the ship. Fai Dan will want to speak with you. He’s on the other side of the colony.” And with that, the colonist went right back to aiming his weapon at the entrance Shepard and company had just walked through. The Commander exchanged a look with Tali, the Quarian just as confused and giving a shrug.

They quickly found their way through the colony, finally finding the man known as Fai Dan. Shepard assumed he was the colony’s leader, perhaps the head of all the ExoGeni staff on the planet. He had almost the exact same reaction as the first person they’d met in the colony, right down to the first words, “Thank god you’ve come. We’d begun to give up hope. We sent that distress call days ago. Surely you could’ve gotten here faster?” The squad looked between each other. “Unless… you’re not from ExoGeni? Are you?”

Shepard shook her head, “No, unfortunately not. We are here to help though. Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy and Spectre.” Fai Dan shook her hand both enthusiastically and suspiciously. “How can we help?”

The man looked troubled, “We’ve been holding off the Geth for days, and I don’t know how much longer we can hold out. They just keep coming, and there’s no end to their numbers. And any we kill that aren’t inside our lines get taken away, repaired and come back within hours. It’s only a matter of time before they break through again.”

“Again?” If the Geth had broken through once, why hadn’t the colony fallen then?

Fai nodded, “They broke down our barricades last night, cleared through the colony. Pushed us back into a corner. We lost a quarter of our men in the attack. And then… they just left. Gave us a few hours reprieve and came back, more force than ever.” A tired smile crossed his face, “You’re probably better equipped than us to fight them. I can’t say how much of a relief to see a ship that wasn’t Geth flying overhead was.”

“That’s a very odd strategy, even for synthetics.” Shepard scratched her head, “Where are they coming from?”

He pointed to the only other entrance to the colony aside from the one Shepard’s squad had entered through, “Other side of the skyway. Fucking Geth ship latched on to the tower on the other side. The main research base is there, all the ExoGeni staff. The Geth hit there first and then came for us.”

Shepard was becoming more confused by the second, “Wait… you’re not with ExoGeni?”

“No, we’re just colonists. Those good for nothings study all this Prothean bullshit and leave us alone.” There was evidently very little love between any of the employees and the colonists, “Good riddance I say. They don’t give us anything. They promised a utopia god damnit!” The anger made his cheeks flush, Shepard seeing out of the corner of her eye that a few other colonists had the same reaction at his words. Fai Dan breathed in, “Sorry. Not a lot of love for ExoGeni here.”

“I see.” Shepard looked around the colony for a moment, “That may be, but if that’s where the Geth are coming from, that’s where we’re going. We’ll get rid of them.”

“Are you insane? That’s where their numbers are thickest! Can’t your ship just blast them from orbit?!”

“No. The Geth will jam our weapons’ targeting systems. We’re just as likely to fire on your colony rather than the ship itself. This is the only way.” Without giving the man a chance to respond, Shepard continued, “How far is it to the other tower?”

Fai Dan recovered from his shock quickly… too quickly if Shepard was honest with herself, “About a kilometre. You’ll never make it on foot.”

Shepard shrugged, “I’ve waded through worse.”

The colonist closed his eyes for barely a second, seeming to come to a sudden decision. Shepard noted that several other colonists did the exact same thing as the man, at the exact same time. Not even a delay. This was a weird place; it was giving her the creeps. She glanced at Tali and Ashley to her right, the other two women had also noticed the odd reaction, she could see it in their eyes. To her left, Kaidan seemed far too focused on the Commander to notice the odd behaviour. While the Lieutenant was looking at others, he was more assessing the colonist’s threat level than anything to do with their behaviour. “You can use our vehicle. We used it to take supplies to the researchers. The only ‘gift’ from ExoGeni that actually paid off. Military grade tank, a Mako.”

A small smile sprang to Shepard’s face, gone as quickly as it appeared, “Perfect. Thank you.”

The squad marched away, pulling their weapons free as they made their way out of the colony. Only a few Geth stood in their way on the way to the garage where the Mako was kept. Amazingly, the Geth hadn’t thought to damage the vehicle. Shepard grinned at the others, “Ready for more of my driving?”

“I swear to the ancestors, don’t make me hack it and remote drive it.” Tali’s retort had more bite than Shepard was expecting, but she could see the smile under the Quarian’s visor.

Kaidan lay a hand on her shoulder, “Please tell me you can actually do that Tali. We may actually survive this if you can.”

Ashely chimed in, “I always thought I’d either die fighting an unbeatable enemy or of old age. ‘Killed by superior officer’s driving’ never actually crossed my mind.” She air quoted the third option, earning an eye roll from Shepard.

“I’ll drive carefully then. Jeez.” She approached the vehicle, hopping into the driver’s seat and adjusting the seat. She almost started playing with the mass effect field before a stern look from Tali in the passenger’s seat stopped her. “Right, let’s get rid of these Geth then.”

The garage door opened to a warzone, Geth outposts every hundred metres. Shepard could make out an Armature about half way to the opposite tower. They were still out of its range, but they would have to contend with the huge thing with none of the cover similar to what they’d had on Therum. The Commander fired up the tank’s weapons, the main gun blasting apart the first outpost and the smaller machine guns being controlled by Tali to take out the stragglers the main gun couldn’t seem to hit.

Shepard pushed the accelerator as far as it would go, trying her best to punch a new hole through the bottom with how hard she pressed it down. The first few outposts went down easily, Shepard using the main gun just as much as simply running the synthetics over and letting the tires and sheer weight of the tank do the work. As they got closer to the Armature, she had to swerve more and more to avoid its cannon.

Luckily for the Human-led squad, the skyway’s terrain actually gave them some cover once they were a bit closer. The rise they had been going up abruptly ended, allowing Shepard to stop the tank just out of line of sight of the Geth. “I think we’re going to have to get this one on foot. And hope it doesn’t blast this Mako while we’re out.” They quickly followed Shepard’s orders, jumping out of the Mako and making for the walkway just under the skyway, obviously meant for pedestrians when there were vehicles occupying the road itself.

The team quickly dismantled the Geth who came for them under the walkway. Shepard had to duck around a corner several times as the Armature fired on the openings that lead into the passage they now walked through. Finally, they got close enough that they were right next to the huge artillery piece, the Geth suddenly very careful not to use its main gun. At this range, it was as likely to hit them as it was to damage itself. Its smaller but far faster firing weapons sent a hail of bullets through two entrances at once, effectively splitting the squad into three. If this hadn’t been a part of Shepard’s plan originally, it would have been disastrous.

Shepard was in the middle between the two openings, more at risk of the Armature’s attacks than the rest of them. Ashley had put herself beyond the second, nodding to Shepard that she was in position. Kaidan and Tali took the back, Tali slightly further back as she worked on hacking the Geth’s systems with one hand and holding her pistol to the other. Kaidan was just barely around the corner, Shepard could swear the synthetic would be able to see the edge of his arm but it hadn’t started focusing its fire on him yet, so she was probably wrong.

Kaidan gave the signal, Shepard edging closer to the opening with Ashley. He popped out into the opening, the Armature instantly switching and firing everything at him. As soon as it had switched, Ashley and Shepard unloaded from their entrance, barraging the synthetic with their assault rifles. It switched back to them, Shepard rapidly switching to the other entrance while it focused on Ashley’s. The Commander and Lieutenant took their turn, weapons heating up as they poured bullets into the synthetic. They repeated the manoeuvre several times, whittling away at the Geth’s shields and even punching through in several places to damage the thing’s joints. It began to be unstable on its feet, one of its legs barely holding on to a couple of wires. It shifted its weight, only serving to make its damaged leg an easier target when it lifted into the air. Finally, the leg came off in a shower of sparks, clattering to the ground.

By this point, Tali had joined in, firing her pistol at the Geth along with the squad. Her efforts had won out, shutting the synthetic’s shields down, leaving it vulnerable to every attack. Shepard charged up a singularity, holding it in her fist until exactly the right moment, popping out and tossing the writhing sphere of dark energy straight at it. The biotic display tore off another leg along with a large chunk of the Geth’s body. The squad all came out into the open as their robotic foe collapsed to the ground, unable to rise with two of its legs missing. They stalked closer, all switching to their shotguns and blasting the robot apart until it finally gave a whine of defeat, the lights all over its body switching off as it couldn’t take the damage anymore.

The rest of their drive along the skyway was far easier, only a few rocket troopers to tear apart with the Mako’s main gun. Shepard drove them all the way to the other side, entering the small garage and stopping them in the small room. This had to be ExoGeni’s actual base. The garage door closed behind them ominously, seemingly locking itself from the inside. The squad got out, hearing voices from down a small ramp, far too small to get the Mako down.

Shepard cautiously led them forward, assault rifle ready to take on anything thrown at them. The ramp led to a small encampment, every member of the squad instantly relaxing when they saw it wasn’t full of Geth, but Humans. One near the barricade fired, deflecting off Shepard’s barrier.

“That’s close enough! Don’t come any closer.” An extremely nervous looking man pointed a gun directly at Shepard’s head as she moved through to the centre of the small camp. “Who are you?! What do you want?!”

“Oh Jesus Christ, Jeong, they’re obviously not Geth.” A woman next to him piped up, looking just as exasperated as her tone suggested.

“What about that one in the enviro-suit?! IT could be a Geth in disguise.”

Tali really wanted to punch him but didn’t get the chance to even consider it. Shepard reacted without really thinking, taking the pistol from Jeong, disarming him with an effective wrist turn and shoving him in the chest hard enough to send him to the ground. “SHE… is a Quarian. And I expect you to remember that.” The Commander turned to the woman, ignoring the man on the grounds protests, “I’m Commander Shepard. We’re here to get rid of your Geth problem.”

“I’m just glad to see a friendly face. We thought we might be the only Humans left on the planet.”

Shepard raised an eyebrow in confusion, “The colonists at Zhu’s Hope are still alive. They’ve lost quite a few of their number but they’re still fighting.”

The woman turned to Jeong, only just picking himself up off the ground. “You said they were all dead!”

Jeong had the gall to roll his eyes, “Calm down Juliana. I said they were ‘probably’ dead.”

“We’ve been holding off the Geth for days.” Juliana looked on the verge of tears, “They’re relentless, they just keep coming. I’m amazed the colonists have done so well.”

“They’re holding out for now.” Shepard looked between the two of them, “Where are the Geth coming from?”

Juliana answered quickly, not giving Jeong a chance, “They’re in the ExoGeni headquarters. Just a bit further along the skyway.”

Jeong stepped forward, his attempt to be threatening, “Those headquarters are private property, soldier. Remove the Geth and nothing else.”

Shepard’s stare turned cold as she looked at the man, “Doing something you shouldn’t be, _sir_?” The sarcasm dripped off of Shepard’s words.

“Of-of-of course not. You’re just not an ExoGeni employee.” She could see the sweat rolling down his brow. They were definitely up to something no good on this planet.

“Right…” Shepard handed the pistol she’d taken to Juliana, “I’ll radio through once I’ve cleared out the Geth.”

The Commander barely made it two steps, “Wait… Commander. My daughter… Lizbeth, she’s missing.”

Jeong scoffed, “They shouldn’t waste time poke around. We can do a proper account of the causalities after the Geth are gone.”

The woman quivered with rage, “How dare you! That’s my daughter you’re talking about you fucking son of a bitch! She’s still alive! I know it!” She turned back to Shepard, hope and grief filling in her eyes, “She was working in the ExoGeni building when the Geth attacked… if you find any sign of her, please…”

Shepard lay a hand gently on Juliana’s shoulder, “If she’s there, we’ll find her. I promise. Stay here till I get back with the all clear.” She gave one last stern look to Jeong, ensuring he didn’t have anything more to say. They moved out, getting back into the Mako and driving off.

Tali glanced at Shepard from the passenger seat. Even after the several times she’d seen Shepard leap to her defence, it still surprised her. Admittedly it had been barely over a week since they’d started this crusade across the galaxy, but there was just something about Shepard that made you want to follow her into the depths of hell, and then further beyond. Even if she didn’t immediately defend her at all costs, Tali was pretty sure she’d still follow Shepard anywhere.

“Thank you.” Tali’s whisper was quiet enough that Ashley and Kaidan would not have heard it, with Shepard only just being able to. She simply nodded, not making a big deal out of it, even though it definitely was that.

The Mako burst back onto the skyway, guns blazing. This section was much shorter, the Geth presence here thicker than previous. The squad looked up, eyeing the Geth ship on the side of the huge skyscraper. Several metal arms had smashed through the outer walls, obviously anchoring it to the building. They’d have to destroy them or find a way to deactivate them to get rid of the Geth here. Shepard swore the main gun of the Mako was going to overheat from how much work she was putting it through. Finally, they made it through, leaving only smoking hunks of wires and metal to signal their passage.

Their travel further on was blocked, the entrance to the building barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side through, let alone the unwieldy bulk of the Mako. Shepard manoeuvred the tank out of sight as best she could, attempting to protect it from any bombardment from the Geth above. The squad calmly made their way into the building, the first room only containing a few Geth, easily dealt with from range.

Shepard scouted a small section of the wide-open area. It had once been far more inviting, the scorch marks from the Geth’s attack and dead bodies littering the ground ruined the ambience of the space. There was only two ways to go forward. One was blocked by a glowing blue shield, nearly completely blocking even their vision further in. Shepard tapped on it with a finger, pulling away when she felt a sharp jolt of electricity travel through her suit. “We’re not getting through that without more firepower than we’ve got.” Tali sidled up next to Shepard, inspecting the shield with her. “The Geth have extremely effective shielding technology. Even the Mako’s main gun would take a while to get through that. Without finding the power source and shutting it off, it’s a no go.”

“Looks like we’re going the other way then.” The Commander followed the other three off a small jump, landing a floor below the entrance. Kaidan lead them forward, the sunlight from outside soon disappearing and forcing them all to switch on their suit’s flashlights. A noise from behind them caused Shepard to spin around, raising her weapon, ready to fire at a moment’s notice. There was nothing.

Luckily for them, their path didn’t split into more than one direction as they pressed on further, following it even as the corridor turned a corner and lead them into another large open room. Another noise from behind made Shepard jump. Still nothing. It felt like they were being followed. As they progressed further into the room slowly, a Geth suddenly popped out of the far corridor, the sounds the synthetics made echoing throughout the space. It began to fire almost immediately, forcing Shepard’s squad to roll into cover. Small overturned stone tables were all they had, even as their robotic enemy poured through the door and began to chip away at their only defence.

The darkness of the room was soon filled with the flash of muzzles and the nearly deafening sounds of gunfire. The Geth filled the room with their numbers, nearly overwhelming the squad with sheer numbers.

Shepard could feel the stone begin to crack apart behind her chest. This cover wouldn’t last long. She was squeezed next to Kaidan, both biotics doing their best to raise their rifles above the tables and sweep gunfire across the area, hoping to force the Geth into hiding and allow them to attack. They threw out small shockwaves of biotic energy, trying everything they had to stop the Geth’s attack. Shepard knew they wouldn’t have the power to actually damage the robots, it would likely not even stagger them. Despite Shepard’s prodigious biotic power, she nor Kaidan had the necessary leverage from where they were pinned to bring about a proper biotic assault.

Tali, as was always the case when fighting Geth, was busy hacking through their shields, occasionally lifting her shotgun above her cover and firing in the direction she thought the enemy was. Ashley, on the other hand, had gotten herself into a far better position than the rest of them. When they’d entered the room, the Gunnery Chief had been on the edge, now finding herself behind a pillar, allowing her to properly stand up and fire upon the Geth. She began to move further along the wall, just managing to run across a small gap without getting shot and putting herself at the perfect angle to flank their enemy.

The Geth were now being attacked from two sides. Kaidan and Shepard fired from their position in the centre of the room while Ashley fired from the side, turning the Geth’s cover completely useless. Her precise strikes began to lessen their numbers, freeing up both the Lieutenant and the Commander to attack more effectively. Shepard took her chance, shuffling along the cover till she could roll across the ground and get behind her own pillar, at the opposite side of the room to Ashley.

Tali’s hack worked the moment Shepard had reached the new position. All four organics came out of their covers, laying down their barrage of bullets into the lessened number of Geth. Shepard threw a singularity, tearing several of the synthetics limb from limb. Overloads and armour melting incinerations flew from Tali’s omni tool, forcing the Geth further back into the entrance they’d come from. An expertly thrown grenade from Ashley went behind the retreating Geth, its detonation throwing several of them towards Kaidan, the Lieutenant taking them out with assault rifle and biotics alike.

Soon, the room was quiet, all the Geth deactivated, either in pieces or with huge holes blasted through their chassis. Shepard quickly walked over their enemy, assault rifle pointed straight down at the wires and metal plates. Once she was satisfied they were all dead, she gave the all clear, preparing to move forward.

The noise sounded again behind them, all of them hearing it this time. They spun in unison, all pointing their weapons straight at the source.

“WAIT, DON’T SHOOT!” All four flashlights brought the voice into sharp focus, nearly blinding the individual. Shepard held up her fist, the squad lowering their weapons.

A young woman stood in front of them, several obvious wounds on her body, most likely from Geth weaponry. It looked as though she had found medi-gel at some point, the injuries sealed over somewhat but the blood soaked into her uniform told the Commander they had been quite serious. One arm crossed over her chest, clutching at her side where the blood stains were the most dramatic.

She fell forward, Shepard moving towards her just in time to catch her before she properly hit the ground. The Commander helped her sit against a pillar, a small tired smile of relief on the woman’s face at being found after all this time. “I knew someone would come.”

Shepard could tell from her voice that it had been days since she’d had any water, let alone food. The Commander offered a small canteen she always kept on her belt. “Here. You need it.” The woman only nodded her thanks before greedily draining the too small container. Shepard waited till she was focused on her once more before continuing, “You wouldn’t happen to be Lizbeth, by any chance?”

“How…How do you know my name?”

“Your mother asked me to look for you while we took care of the Geth.” She nodded down at Lizbeth’s wounds, “Do you mind if I take a look?” A shake of her head. Shepard gently moved the young woman’s arm, inspecting the wound on the side of her chest. It was shallower than she’d first feared, a sigh of relief coming through her lips. A glancing blow, despite the amount of blood. She applied a small amount of medi-gel, Lizbeth giving a quiet whimper as the anaesthetic quality took effect. Some colour seemed to return to her cheeks as the wound further sealed.

“Thank you. I’ve been hiding for days. The Geth never stopped looking.” Lizbeth sat up just a little straighter, looking at each of the squad in turn, “That’ll teach me to stay and back up data. Should’ve run when everyone else did.”

“You’re safe now. Do you know what the Geth are here for? The Prothean ruins aren’t exactly that impressive here.”

“They must be after the-” Her voice stopped, the expression on her face shifting to one of uncertainty.

“After the…?” Shepard grew serious, giving Lizbeth a stern look. Secret corporation bullshit was not she needed right now. “I’m here for the Geth. It’ll be better for all involved if we know what they’re here for. You can tell me.”

Lizbeth seemed to come to a decision, resolution crossing her features, “I would assume they’re after the Thorian.”

Shepard looked back at the others, confused as she was. “And the Thorian is…?”

“An indigenous life form. It’s why ExoGeni is here. The Prothean ruins are essentially a front.”

“Can you tell me where it is, exactly?” Shepard was intrigued to say the least. Was a single lifeform really worth all this trouble for the Geth to put so much effort in?

The hesitation returned to Lizbeth, unsure exactly how much she could or should reveal. “I should be able to help you find it. But we need to get out of here first. And I don’t think we’re getting anywhere until that barrier is down.”

The Commander was slightly annoyed at her evasive wording, but decided to push on with the mission. “And do you know how we can do that? We couldn’t see anything on this side of it at least.”

“Not exactly… but I think the Geth ship is powering it. The Geth have been laying power cables everywhere. They should lead you to whatever is powering it.” Lizbeth tried to move, groaning as her whole body trembled in protest at the sudden use of her muscles. “I don’t think I’m going to get very far though.” She frowned, once more clutching at her side. “Not with the Geth crawling everywhere.” She looked hopefully at the Commander, almost expectantly.

Kaidan spoke up, “I’ll stay with her, Commander. You, Ash and Tali press on. We’ll follow once it’s safe.”

Shepard nodded, seeing no other course of action. “Good idea Lieutenant. I’ll radio the all clear once it’s safe to move on.”

They only made it a few steps before Lizbeth called out, “Wait, Commander.” They turned back, Lizbeth holding out a small keycard, “Take my ID. It’ll get you into any of the ExoGeni computers. Help you make sense of all of this.”

Shepard took it, nodding her thanks. Lizbeth’s arm slacked back to the ground, worn out from even that simple movement. Her eyes closed, her breathing slowing as she tried to rest, now that she could. Shepard exchanged a few quiet words with Kaidan, telling the Lieutenant to keep a close eye on her and make sure she stayed out of trouble for the time being.

They moved off, leaving Kaidan with Lizbeth. Shepard still wasn’t sure this was the best thing for them to do, but it was either leave Lizbeth to likely die at the hands of the Geth or have Kaidan with her. And Shepard wasn’t about to let her die, not if she could help it.

The halls of the building remained shadowy, not even a wink of the sunlight from outside. They soon found the power cables Lizbeth had mentioned, following them through the darkened building. The lights on the Geth hardware provided little in the way of illumination, barely more than enough to get a vague idea of their surroundings. They came to a room where several hallways converged, along with several bundles of the cables all joining into one much larger one, leading down another hallway. Before they could even take a few steps toward this new direction, the Geth came swarming.

Shepard began to fire immediately, taking out a Geth within the first few seconds. Of course, the other synthetics were entirely unperturbed by the loss of their comrade, beings of software, not hardware, that they were. There was no cover to hide behind, all three women having to rely on their shields and barrier respectively. Ashley could see Tali hack into her suit’s computer from the display on her helmet, diverting nearly its entire power supply to supplementing her shields, all the while doing the same with her own enviro-suit and also fighting the Geth. The Gunnery Chief was suddenly infinitely more grateful the Commander had elected to bring the Quarian, knowing that if she hadn’t, the soldier would likely have several new holes in her body. She still had her reservations about having aliens on the Normandy’s crew and on bringing them on missions, but she couldn’t deny how useful this one was.

Shepard marched closer to the last few Geth, stowing her weapon and holding both hands out in front of her to reinforce her barrier. The bullets deflected off the barrier, ripples in the blue dark energy the only evidence it was even being hit. She reached the first one, reaching through and tearing the gun from its hands, turning the weapon on its owner and nearly slicing the hardware in half with a point-blank burst. She threw the gun like a javelin at the next, the synthetic’s weapon actually imbedding into her enemy. Shepard rushed forward at biotic-speed, grabbing the handle and pulling the trigger, destroying the Geth’s power source.

The last Geth fired its next bullet a bit too accurately. Shepard felt the warm wetness of blood on her left thigh as a bullet penetrated her barrier and went through her armour. Ashley and Tali quickly blasted the offending Geth into pieces, twin shotgun blasts making short work of the foe. The Commander grunted, quickly applying medi-gel to her wound.

“Are you okay, Shepard?” Tali’s voice was filled with concern, still not used to the way Shepard would shrug off injuries. It honestly touched Shepard, the soldiers under her command usually didn’t show any sincerity when asking that sort of question.

Ashley knew the Commander by reputation in this regard, having heard the stories of Elysium. The severity of wounds she’d sustained there made this one look like a mosquito bite.

“I’ll be fine. But thank you.” She could still move her limb, so it wasn’t deep or particularly serious. She’d definitely had worse, even in the last few days. Satisfied with her treatment of the new injury, Shepard moved off without another word, following the thickest power cable once more.

They walked for some time, coming across no more actual Geth platforms. Shepard turned a corner, seeing a room bathed in light. She held up her fist, stopping the other two. She motioned forward slowly, all three women crouching down low and sneaking forward as quietly as possible. Their goal soon came into sight.

A huge Geth landing claw had shattered through the wall, holding the large ship that Shepard knew to be on the other side of the wall to the building. The support was so large, it went all the way across this room and through the next wall. From the way it was tapering down, Shepard assumed it didn’t go much further, but the distance it did go was enough to give Shepard doubts about the structural integrity of the entire building if they were to remove it. Hopefully the effect wouldn’t be too dramatic.

They came to the end of the short hallway, the power cable they’d been following tumbling over the side of a destroyed staircase and snaking its way over to the landing claw. Geth platforms milled about everywhere, going about whatever tasks they needed to, Shepard assumed for Saren. A Krogan was standing in front of a console, definitely not of Geth make. It was closer to Human, Shepard assuming it would be one of ExoGeni’s. The console had a small projector, a see-through representation of a man coming through on it. Hearing about the Thorian from Lizbeth had only sparked Shepard’s curiosity. The computer would surely contain something.

“ _I’m sorry. Those files are restricted to ExoGeni employees with Alpha-Level Clearance or higher. Please come back with the required identification and try again._ ”

“Grrrr… stupid machine!” The Krogan’s frustration was obvious, giving a sharp kick to the console, denting its housing.

The Geth knew they were there, no question. And if not exactly there, definitely within the building. Their network would’ve provided them with all of that information. Getting the drop on them would be near impossible. Shepard opted for a far more direct approach, something she was far more specialised in. She gave a few hand signals to Tali and Ashley, both nodding their understanding.

Shepard breathed in and out slowly, preparing herself for the next action. Abruptly, Shepard sprinted forward, leaping into the open air above the Geth. One quick burst of her assault rifle into the one directly below her was all she had time for before the next phase of her plan. Shepard’s entire body glowed with dark energy, orienting herself with the Geth at the furthest point possible. She did her best impersonation of a superhero, allowing herself to rocket forward, one fist out stretched and her legs extended out behind her, one of them bent at the perfect angle.

Her fist collided with the Geth, going straight through to the other side, clutching its power source in her armoured hand. She crushed it before spinning around, catapulting the synthetic’s corpse into the next nearest enemy. It went down in a tangle of limbs, struggling to push its deactivated ally off. Shepard took the brunt of the next assault with her barrier, deflecting bullets left and right. Her left leg slammed down, sending a shockwave toward the Geth who’d finally managed to free itself, only to have its armour crushed by the biotic attack.

The Commander rapidly found herself being pushed back, the number of Geth and the Krogan within the room more than she initially anticipated. It seemed there was coming in from several hallways on this level, overwhelming the biotic’s defences. Luckily for her, Shepard wasn’t alone.

Ashley began firing from the hallway they’d entered through, her assault rifle taking out two Geth in rapid succession. Some turned their attention to the opening, firing straight back. Ashley tossed a grenade blindly, rewarded with several Geth being caught up in its detonation. She popped out once more, using the momentary distraction to take out several more.

Tali stayed in the cover of the hallway, hacking into the Geth’s systems. She targeted their weapons, causing them to overheat far faster and a few of them even exploded with the hands of their wielders. She occasionally came out with a few shots of her pistol, but it did little more than draw some fire away from Shepard. The Quarian always preferred getting up close and personal with her shotgun more than her pistol. Her marksmanship wasn’t amazing at the best of times and especially when she had less than a second to actually aim the weapon.

Shepard charged the Krogan, feinting left and right to dodge the shotgun blasts or ensure they only grazed her barrier. She came in close, dodging the butt of his shotgun and delivering a heavy blow to his gut. This only seemed to enrage him rather than actually affect his fighting in the slightest, swinging with both weapon and fist. Shepard danced backwards, avoiding every attack and retaliating with her biotic might. She caught the shotgun as it flew down at her, struggling with the alien’s enormous strength. The Krogan roared, pulling the trigger even as he tried to force the barrel to face Shepard’s head. The Commander felt a few errant shells scratch the top of her helmet, redoubling her efforts to not have her head taken off.

The Human biotic gained the upper hand, turning the shotgun skyward and getting one finger on the trigger. She got the Krogan into an awkward angle with his arms, leaving him unable to use his full strength. Pellets whizzed past his face, scratching the very bottom of his jaw as he struggled with the Human’s hold. His knee rushed up, catching Shepard in the gut and knocking the wind out of her. Normally, this would have been a good move, but not against Shepard. She used this momentary imbalance to push the barrel of the shotgun directly under the Krogan’s chin. He realised his mistake too late, Shepard seeing the fear in his eyes as he realised what was about to happen. She pulled the trigger.

The top of the Krogan’s head exploded outwards, his forehead plate shattering into pieces. Blood and brain catapulted upward and outward, going high enough to paint the ceiling two storeys above them with gore. His body went limp, Shepard simply nudging it sideways and holding onto his shotgun as the armoured alien clattered to the ground. She was breathing heavily, satisfied with her efforts. She lazily raised the gun, blasting apart the last Geth in the room. The weapon was discarded with its former owner, Shepard surveying the room, nodding at Tali and Ashley as they made their way down to her, albeit more carefully than the Commander had.

Shepard shook her hands out, trying to get rid of the Krogan’s blood that stained her gauntlets. Her attention was snapped to the ExoGeni VI as it began to speak.

“ _Welcome back, Research Assistant Lizbeth Baynham, how may I help you?_ ”

“Uhh…” Shepard glanced at her two squad mates, both of them gesturing around the room. “What was the Krogan asking about?”

“ _The previous user of this terminal requested information on Species 37, the Thorian. As he did not have Alpha-Level Clearance, I was unable to answer his inquiry._ ”

“Can you tell me?” Shepard subconsciously crossed her fingers, hoping Lizbeth was far higher ranked in ExoGeni than her age suggested.

“ _Of course. Do you have a specific inquiry?_ ”

“Okay… what is the Thorian, exactly?”

“ _Species 37 is a species of flora, unique to Feros. It is currently unknown whether or not more than one member of its species exists, or whether it is a single organism spread out over a wide area_. _It exhibits a sentient behaviour uncommon with other flora._ ”

“Where is it?”

“ _Species 37’s central node is located beneath the colony of Zhu’s Hope. The status of Species 37 is currently unknown._ ”

Shepard’s eyes widened at the location. “Under Zhu’s Hope?”

“ _Species 37 is located within the substructure of Zhu’s Hope. Unfortunately, there is no new data available, as all sensors have been inactive for several cycles._ ”

“Tell me everything you know about the Thorian.”

“ _The Thorian has the unique ability to control other organisms, through the dispersion and eventual inhalation of spores. This includes the control of humans. It is assumed the same could be said of other sentient species, but data is not available to corroborate this assumption. The Zhu’s Hope control group has yielded interesting results. Before all sensors were deactivated, almost 85% of all test subjects had been infected._ ”

“Woah woah woah.” Shepard held up her hand, stopping the VI from going any further, “So ExoGeni knew the colonists were being infected? And they let it happen?”

“ _That is correct. It was deemed necessary to evaluate the true potential of Species 37._ ”

Tali exclaimed out, “That’s why the colonists were acting so weird! They were all infected by this thing. If the Thorian is controlling them, it would explain why they all were reacting at the same time.”

Shepard looked back at the Quarian, “You saw that too? It was creeping me the fuck out.”

“We should contact Joker, make sure he’s keeping the Normandy on lockdown.” Ashley called their attention back to the task at hand.

“Good idea, Chief.” Shepard tried to connect through to the Normandy, “Shepard to Normandy, do you read?” Only static came through her earpiece, “Damnit. The Geth must be jamming the signal.” She turned back to the VI, “Can you tell me anything about what the Geth have set in place here?”

“ _I have limited data on the Geth. They are effectively blocking all communication and sensors within the facility._ _I have detected unusual power fluctuations, but am unable to determine the exact source._ ”

Shepard glanced around the room, cocking her eyebrow at the hologram, “Really? Can’t determine the source?”

Tali gave a brief bubble of laughter, “VIs don’t understand sarcasm Shepard, I think we’re on our own for this one.” She was already moving toward a Geth console, breaking off a panel on its front. Within a few minutes, the Quarian had hacked through the Geth’s cyber defences and accessed the schematics for the claw that was currently burrowed into the building. She lifted her arm to show Shepard, pointing to the small display produced by her omni-tool, “If we can cut the power, the Geth ship will fall. They’re running so much power through these wires that it should cause a surge powerful enough to knock out all their systems at once.”

Shepard looked at the huge power cable running into the claw. The housing was made of the same material as the Geth’s armour was, so in theory their weapons would cut through it, but they had no way of knowing how thick it was and therefore how much time it would take. “Any way to do it without cutting this?”

Tali pondered the question for a moment, “Maybe.” She took the ID off Shepard’s belt, turning to the ExoGeni VI, “Are you connected to the Geth’s systems in any way?”

“ _The Geth have connected to this building’s power network. I am unable to access the Geth’s systems but can monitor their power intake._ ”

The Quarian smiled to herself. Jackpot. “Can you transfer all power to the Geth’s systems?”

“ _I can._ ”

“Do it.”

“ _Acknowledged, Research Assistant Lizbeth Baynham. All power for ExoGeni facility transferring to Geth systems in 3…2…1…_ ”

There was a rumbling throughout the building as the VI abruptly switched off. The Geth consoles around the room began to overload, their power cores frying in a matter of seconds. Shepard swore she could feel the immense wave of electricity stream through the Geth’s power cables, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. A loud groaning echoed through the space as the Geth’s claw began to shift ever so slowly. Its hold on the building slackened, slowly sliding its way out of the wall. The movement picked up speed, daylight flooding the room as the claw finally came free. The three women dived out of the wave as it smashed through the floor, tumbling out of the building completely. Shepard ran to the edge, daring to lean outside and watch as the Geth ship plummeted down the immensely tall building and finally out of sight below the clouds.

Joker’s voice suddenly crackled through their radio, almost deafening the three women. “ _Commander! Do you read me? Shepard!_ ”

“Joker! What’s your status?”

“ _Bloody hell, I’ve been trying to reach you since you left the colony. I don’t know what the fucks going on, but the colonists have gone crazy. They’re beating on the door, firing at the hull._ ” Joker almost sounded worried, but Shepard brushed it off, knowing the Normandy’s hull could take anything the colonists could even possibly throw at it.

“We’re on our way back now, and we’ve dealt with the Geth. If it gets too much, pull the Normandy back and wait for my signal.”

“ _Understood Commander._ ”

Shepard turned back to Ashley and Tali, “Right, let’s get back there. Kaidan, you still on this channel?”

“ _Read you loud and clear Commander._ ”

“Go back to where we jumped down, we need to get back to Zhu’s Hope ASAP.”

“ _Yes ma’am. Meet you there._ ”

They made their way through the building, following schematics Tali had managed to pull from ExoGeni’s systems. There were several Geth stragglers, walking around almost aimlessly. Tali explained it was because of how the Geth were set up to function, connecting together and making each other greater than the sum of their parts. These ones were now far less threatening after severing the connection to what Tali guessed was thousands if not millions of Geth programs within their ship. The squad made quick, easy work of them, the synthetics barely putting up even an attempt to fight back. They soon found their way to the place the barrier had previously been, now absent since destroying the Geth ship’s hold on the skyscraper. Shepard made her way to where they’d jumped, finding Kaidan supporting a still very haggard looking Lizbeth. She held out her hand, hoisting Kaidan out.

“Okay, Lizbeth. Kaidan and I are going to lift you out with biotics. Ready?” The young woman nodded somewhat nervously. Very carefully, the two humans surrounded her in a biotic field, slowly raising her till she was out of the hole and back on her feet. Being only slightly taller than her, Shepard slung one of Lizbeth’s arms round her shoulder, helping her to hobble back towards the entrance.

“I think we need to talk.” Shepard’s words made Lizbeth grimace, and not from the pain of her wounds.

“You know about the Thorian, I take it?”

They stopped at the entrance to the building, hiding out of sight of whatever defence the Geth may have formed on the skyway outside. Shepard stood in front of Lizbeth, arms crossed, an almost deadly expression etched into her features. “And what ExoGeni has been doing with it, yes.”

“We haven’t done anything!” Lizbeth regretted her outburst almost immediately, “Not directly at least. The original colony was for the Prothean ruins here. But when they all started getting infected...”

Lizbeth trailing off did not help her case in Shepard’s eyes. “So what? You thought the best solution was to just cut them off and not even try to stop them from becoming slaves?”

“No! I was against it from the start!” Lizbeth was close to tears, “ExoGeni put me on fucking probation for going against them. I’m amazed by ID even helped you at all. I never wanted this! You have to believe me!” Her plea was met with a surprising look of understanding from the Commander.

“I believe you.” Shepard considered their options. With what she now knew about the Thorian, it would be very unlikely the colonists would let them anywhere near the thing. “Is there any other way to get to it aside from going through Zhu’s Hope?”

Lizbeth shook her head, “The lower levels are all blocked off, and you’d need industrial mining equipment to get at it. The roots of the Thorian spread for miles, but cutting them won’t do anything. I’m not even sure if destroying the node under Zhu’s Hope will actually help the colonists either.”

“And they’ll defend it to the death.” Shepard ran a hand down her face when a thought occurred to her. “Did you ever have a way of getting through the colonists without hurting them? For studying the Thorian up close?”

The young woman’s face lit up with an idea, “No, but my mother and Jeong were toying with a gas that would put anyone infected down for a few hours. They’d been saying that would be the only way to get near the Thorian without killing the colonists. And that would be bad for research.” The last few words were grumbled, the anger behind them obvious to everyone present.

Shepard nodded, “Hopefully they’ve figured out a way to deliver it. Let’s move.”

The Geth defence on the skyway proved to be far weaker than the previous run through. While they’d replenished their numbers from elsewhere somewhat, without the, Shepard assumed destroyed, ship, they were far less organised and the Mako’s weapons took them down easily. The tank grinded to a halt outside the small hideaway of the ExoGeni scientists, Shepard helping Lizbeth down the short ramp to the others.

“LIZBETH!” Juliana’s voice rang out, charging forward to hug her daughter, a hiss of pain coming through the woman’s clenched teeth as arms wrapped tightly around her wounded side. Juliana’s grip instantly relaxed, taking in her daughter’s damaged state. “Are you ok?”

“I’m fine Mom. A little battered, but I’ll be ok.”

Juliana helped her daughter away, Shepard watching the exchange from afar, waiting for the right moment. She was about to completely ruin it, the least she could do was let them have this small joyous reunion.

Jeong came up to her too soon, testing Shepard’s patience, “Did you get rid of the Geth?”

Shepard’s expression darkened as she turned on the man, marching closer till they were barely a foot apart, “And I found something else rather interesting.”

Anger flared across the man’s face, “You looked in the files, didn’t you? I expressly forbid you! Those are ExoGeni property, you had no right-”

Jeong was cut off, Shepard lifting him clear off the ground with a single hand wrapping in his shirt, “Say one more word, and I will do far more than just arrest you for doing nothing while an entire fucking colony of people was enslaved by an unknown species!” Her shout echoed in the small space, all the quiet conversations coming to a halt till they were surrounded by complete silence. She let go, Jeong falling to the ground, Shepard bending over and getting in his face, “At least one of you grew a fucking conscience and thought to rebel against all this shit. Now, Lizbeth was kind enough to inform me of a non-lethal means of putting the colonists down. What you’re going to do, is give it to me and stay here till I’ve destroyed the Thorian and it’s safe to leave.”

“You-you-you can’t destroy it!” Jeong’s stuttering voice was tinged with both fear of Shepard and that of ExoGeni itself. Losing such an important specimen would not go down well with his superiors. “We’ll lose months of research!”

“For fucks sake Jeong! It’s enslaving people!” Juliana interrupted their conversation, “I’m well aware I’m complicit in all of it, but I can’t stand by any longer. The Thorian has to die.” The man remained silent, fuming but unable to voice his anger for fear of what Shepard might do. The Commander wasn’t going to hurt him no matter what he did, but he didn’t need to know that. Juliana walked away for a moment, returning with a case, “Lizbeth was right.” She handed the case to Shepard, “These will put down the colonists without killing them.”

Shepard opened it; the case full of gas grenades. “These’ll do it?”

Juliana nodded, “We developed it for exactly what you’re about to do, if we ever needed to kill the Thorian. And don’t worry. We’ve tested them, they work.”

The biotic almost asked how they were tested but thought better of it. She didn’t really want to know. “Thank you.” She raised her voice, speaking to all present, “I’ll radio through once it’s safe to leave and you can call your people for an evac.” Shepard paused, wondering whether she should say what she’d planned to, “I’d also suggest you all take a long hard look at yourselves. Question whether what you did here was right or ethical. Or if you only thought that because that’s what you were told to think.” She left them all in stunned silence, the squad following her back to the Mako.

The drive back towards Zhu’s Hope was silent, apart from the occasional blast of the Mako’s main gun. The Geth here were even more sparse than the previous skyway section, barely even a token force to stop them approaching the colony.

Shepard drove towards the garage that would lead them back to the colony. The moment the door opened and part of the Mako’s nose poked through, the front of it was met with a huge barrage of gunfire, the shields screeching their warnings from within the confines of the Mako. The Commander slammed it into reverse, spinning the tank out of the way of the attack, parking just to the side of the entrance. They all got out of the vehicle, Shepard tentatively poking her head around the corner. It was almost blown off by an extraordinary sniper shot. She had felt it scratch the surface of her helmet.

She’d just managed to assess their defences. There were six colonists, spread out along several barricades, far too far apart for a single one of their new grenades to take them out in a single hit. There had also been several figures Shepard had been unable to recognise. While humanoid in shape, they definitely weren’t Human, or any race that she recognised either. Hopefully they wouldn’t be too much trouble.

The Commander pulled out her assault rifle, switching her complete attention to the battle they were about to fight. “Shields at max when we go in, we’ll be under heavy fire. Go straight left, we’ll flank them. No use of deadly force on the colonists unless absolutely necessary. In the arm or the leg if you have to. We’ve only got a limited number of these grenades, try and take out groups.”

With her commands issued, Shepard spun around the corner, holding her barrier up and firing just slightly above the colonists, forcing them into cover. She finally had a chance to properly look at the garage they’d originally retrieved the Mako from. It was in terrible shape, deep cracks running through nearly every wall, hinting at possibly even worse structural problems further inside. Parts of the roof were missing, now laying on the ground and providing surprisingly useful cover.

The squad hid behind one such outcropping, the colonists taking their chance and pelting it with bullets. Just as Shepard was about to spring out and charge across, one of the humanoid beings she noticed earlier came around their cover and essentially collapsed on top of her, pummelling her armour with its fists and scratching with its claws. The blows were not nearly strong enough to actually do any damage but it did take her out of the fight momentarily. Kaidan was there in seconds, pulling the thing off and blasting a hole through its stomach. His attack was incredibly effective, the thing collapsing backwards and going still.

The corpse of this newfound enemy leaked a dark green liquid, similar in thickness to blood. Its skin was grey, pulled tight about its frame to show a mockery of bones beneath it. Hands ended in sharp claws, which definitely looked deadly enough, if they hadn’t been wearing armour. Shepard could have spent hours thinking about how the Thorian could have made these, she was fairly certain it had, but she had a colony to save.

Ashley was the first to spring out from cover, charging towards the colonists, closely followed by the other three. The colonists were not prepared for such a bold advance, the closest one stumbling backwards. Ashley vaulted over his cover, tearing the weapon out of his hands and tossing it away. A quick strike from the butt of her rifle sent him into unconsciousness.

Shepard fired a few well-placed shots, hitting three colonists in the leg. They all went down, clutching at their injuries, dropping their weapons to the ground. A few more of the Thorian’s creations tried to get at her, quickly put down with her biotically punching holes through them.

Tali got straight into melee range with a colonist, not trusting herself with a shotgun blast that wouldn’t kill her. Her omni-tool rocketed forward, sending a jolt of electricity through the woman, and forcing her to collapse to the ground, convulsing from the attack.

Kaidan forced his way through the Thorian’s creatures, blasting them apart with his rifle and throwing them clear of the squad with his biotics. He charged through the last few towards the last colonist, the man doing his best to hold back the soldier currently bearing down on him. His attacks seemed to have no effect, not even slowing Kaidan down as he vaulted over the cover and slammed his armoured boot into the side of the colonist’s head. He went down, the Lieutenant quickly spinning and taking down more of the Thorian’s creatures.

The room went quiet, only the groaning of the three still conscious colonists punctuating the silence. Shepard pulled the pin on one of the grenades, motioning for the other three to get clear and further into the building. She tossed it, seconds later a thick gas filled the air, the groans disappearing as the attack took effect. Shepard nodded with satisfaction that the grenades would be effective as promised.

Shepard led them forward, having to switch on the small flashlights on their weapons. The colonists knew they were coming, making it as difficult as possible for them to advance. The first hallway was clear, not even any of the Thorian puppets to hinder their advance. The stairwell up towards the colony was a different story.

Shepard rolled to the pillar at the end of the stairwell, a cluster of men and women at the top sending a barrage of gunfire down towards her. She could feel the concrete began to crack apart under the assault. “Vacuum seal your suits.” Her order was obeyed immediately, the hissing as her suit closed off to the outside air filling her ears. Shepard pulled a pin, tossing it up at the colonists. They faltered at the attack, Shepard taking full advantage and charging up the stairs even as the gas billowed out from the canister. The Commander disarmed them, tossing their weapons down the stairs and blocking their strikes, even as they slowed down as though they were drunk. Soon, she was surrounded by bodies, still attempting to make a few grabs at her armoured feet before finally succumbing to the gas.

The squad moved through the halls towards the colony with trained precision, the colonists becoming denser the closer they got. While it made their fight harder, the grenades became far more useful, taking out several at a time and preventing them from actually having to injure the innocent civilians. Shepard looked down at her belt, then the three others. They only had two grenades left each, and they were only just now coming up to the final stretch towards the colony. They’d have to make every single one count.

They gathered around the entrance to the final hallway, Shepard stealing a glance and confirming her suspicions at the same time. The colonists had set up a barricade, four of them clustered just behind it with rifles pointed toward their position. She could also see several of them further in, those too prepared to strike when needed to protect the Thorian. Shepard knew of no other way into the colony and they didn’t have time to find one. If Joker was right and they were trying to break into the Normandy, the colonists would either put even more effort into that endeavour or the squad would be left without a chance of reinforcements and be forced to hold off the colonists while the Normandy came back. Admittedly, they had no idea what would happen once the Thorian was destroyed. Would the colonists go back to normal or would there be some other reaction? Time would tell.

Shepard nodded at Kaidan, both biotics stowing their weapons and preparing for the charge. Dark energy snaked down their arms as they reinforced their barriers, combining them into one seamless shield. Slowly, the two humans came into the hallway, marching forward while their defence took the brunt of the attack from the colonists. Tali and Ashley followed close behind, waiting for the right chance to toss a grenade. Nothing the colonists did slowed the soldiers advance, the panicked look on their faces growing more severe as they were unable to obey the Thorian’s commands and protect the plant from harm. Soon they twisted with pain, their survival instincts beginning to overpower the spores in their blood and the Thorian exerted its power.

They came right up to the barricade, Ashley lightly lobbing the grenade over the top of their shield, among the group of colonists. The biotic barrier blocked the gas, hiding the four soldiers from view of the colonists and vice versa. Shepard and Kaidan breathed in, preparing themselves. They released, charging through the cloud and emerging on the other side much to the surprise of the defending Humans. They couldn’t react fast enough, the trained soldiers of the Alliance getting within striking distance almost immediately, removing the weapons from the hands and striking them down before they could even get a single shot off.

They continued through the colony, using the last of their grenades to take down the remaining colonists along with their assembled biotic and tech abilities. All four were breathing hard, the exertion of the fight taking their breath away. Shepard found it was much harder to hold back her biotic power and prevent it from outright killing the colonists than to just let it flow through her and kill everything in her path.

Their suits remained shut, not wanting to breathe the gas that now hung over the colony. Shepard looked around, realising they had no idea how to get down to the Thorian. “Spread out, we need to get down there before the colonists wake up.”

There seemed to be no way to get under the colony from what they could see, until Tali called Shepard over, “Shepard, take a look at this. I don’t think this was always here.” The object was a large container, closed at both ends and from what they could tell, completely empty. It had no reason to be there. Shepard looked where Tali was pointing, a thin dark line at one end of it. They could hear air escaping from beneath it. “The colonists must’ve covered up the entrance to stop anyone from getting down there.”

“And we can’t blow it up without destroying the colony. They’ve got to have moved it somehow.” Her eyes soon fell on a crane at the edge of the settlement. “Bingo.” With a few movements, they had their entrance. A staircase descended into darkness, as ominous sign as Shepard had ever seen. “That looks pleasant.” A flashlight down into the dark did nothing to indicate what may lay ahead. “Whelp… no time like the present.”

Shepard cautiously began her trip underground, holding her rifle ever at the ready to deal with any threat that could pop out of the darkness. The stairs continued for far longer than she anticipated, almost stumbling over her feet when they finally ended. Dim sunlight from around a corner further ahead caught the four’s attention, tracking forward at a snail’s space. They rounded the corner, all of their mouths falling open.

“Holy fuck…” Shepard’s two-word sentence summed up what they were seeing rather nicely.

They’d emerged on a small balcony overlooking a large void, empty except for what Shepard could only assume was the gigantic form of the Thorian. The plant looked like a giant brain, roots like neurons pulsating all across its flesh. Huge branches shot from its side, burying themselves deeply into the building around it. The air around them was thick with its spores, almost instantly coating the outside of their armour. The Normandy’s decontamination equipment would get a workout once they were able to get back on board.

The Thorian’s surface raised and lowered like a heart beating, more spores issuing with every pulse from its top. Shepard dared to look over the side, noting that the plant was suspended over a chasm, its roots going down for at least a hundred metres before darkness claimed the void. Maybe they could send it crashing down.

Before Shepard could have another thought, an unearthly screech filled the air, all four of the squad spinning to the source. The Thorian’s creatures had made the noise, a swarm of them charging up the staircase towards them. Shepard slammed her foot down, a biotic shockwave ripping their delicate forms apart and sending a few flying out into the space around their master. She regretted it the moment her foot came down. The entire structure around them rumbled, cracks in the walls widening at the force of the Commander’s attack.

Another sound sent their blood running cold. A deep groan from the Thorian. Shepard hadn’t expected the plant to even be able to make sound, let alone something so foreboding. “We’ve got to take this thing down, now.”

Shepard ran forward, leaping down the flight of stairs, rolling into a crouched position and taking down the creatures rushing at her. Further down, she could see one of the roots holding the Thorian in the air, stalking forward and emptying her rifle into the thing. A substance similar to chlorophyll spurted out at every puncture of her bullets, soon covering the floor and making it harder to traverse without slipping. The other three joined the Commander, unloading their own weapons into the load bearing root.

The root snapped, a far louder groan from the Thorian echoing in the space. Shepard noted that it was now lopsided and the other roots looked ever so slightly strained. Maybe they wouldn’t have to take them all out, just enough for the rest to snap under the sheer weight of the plant.

They moved forward, the Thorian sending even more of its creature to stop them. They all switched to shotguns, far more effective in the cramped space. The journey was slow, the number of thralls the Thorian seemed to be able to make unending. The hallway twisted down another flight of stairs, the root above them blasted through as soon as they were able. The creatures were now coming from both forward and back, Shepard and Tali dealing with the ones from the front while Kaidan and Ashley dealt with the ones from behind. They reached the bottom of the stairs, coming into another hallway the exact same as the one above them, except for a new structure of the Thorian’s they had yet to see.

An extension of the Thorian invaded the centre of the hall, roots holding it fast to the ceiling and floor. The front had a small opening, dripping with what passed for blood in the plant. With another sound from the Thorian, it began to tremble, almost like it was trying to push something through itself. Shepard’s eyes widened with shock as a body fell out, but nothing like the ones that had come before.

It was an Asari, clad in black leather, moving in a very inorganic way. She, if it truly was an Asari, lurched to her feet, head lolling backwards before swinging round and rising to look the Commander in the eye. Her skin was green, a hue Shepard had never seen on an Asari before, and she’d seen her fair share. Blues and purples, sure, but never green.

Without warning, the Asari charged, biotic energy flying off her as she tackled Shepard to the ground. Her fists were wild, slamming into Shepard’s arms as she raised them in defence. The squad could do nothing to help as Thorian creatures continued to swarm from behind and in front. Shepard could barely think as her sides and arms were pummelled with the force of an enraged biotic Asari. She just managed to seize the Asari’s wrists, stopping the barrage. She stared down at the Human, unadulterated fury in her eyes. Shepard did the only thing she could, bringing her head forward and slamming her helmet against the Asari’s nose. She’d headbutt her enemy with enough biotic force to send her flying off, Shepard quickly regaining her feet. She wiped at the front of her helmet, noting that the blood from this woman was green.

The Thorian-Asari was quickly back on her feet, nose broken and blood streaming down her face. The injury didn’t slow her down at all, rushing back in to attack Shepard once more. The Commander was ready. She dodged the first errant strike, making her own known with a heavy punch to the ribs, feeling the bone beneath the skin snap under her strength. As the Asari reeled away at the new-found injury, Shepard capitalised on the momentary lack of concentration, planting her foot as hard as she could into the centre of her chest.

The Asari went flying out into the void, surprise etched into her face. There was a sickening crunch as she collided with the Thorian in the centre, bones shattering on impact and causing the Thorian to start swinging slightly. Their attacks were beginning to have an effect.

Shepard collected herself, retrieving her shotgun just in time to swing it round and decapitate a creature with the butt of it. A one-handed blast in one direction, a biotic lift and throw into the abyss with the other. All four of them continued further down into the Thorian's lair, destroying more and more of the creatures, almost no end to them. The Thorian managed to produce several more of the mutated Asari, but they were ready for them now. None got within a few metres, prioritised over everything else and quickly gunned down or dealt with through their biotics or Tali’s quick tech skills. They snapped the roots holding the Thorian fast, the groans coming from the plant becoming more strained as it teetered on the edge of its own death.

Finally, they snapped one of the only two remaining roots, the Thorian swinging and slamming into the side of the concrete building. The entire structure rumbled beneath them at the sheer weight of the plant’s collision. The last root to snap was slowly audibly ripping apart, its weight-bearing capability far exceeded. The last tendrils of the plant released a heavy dose of the spores, trying to finally defeat its enemy. The completely sealed suits of the squad nullified the attack.

As they stalked towards the last root, the Thorian’s creatures stopped coming. It had seemed to realise its impending doom and recognise the futility of further hostility with the foreign entities. Shepard came forward, to one of the openings they’d seen the Thorian use to produce the Asari clones. They were at the end of the path, only a single room ahead with the last root.

Trembling, the Thorian committed its last act. The dripping hole in front of them shuddered as the plant pushed the last thing it would ever create from itself. This one was covered in far more of what passed for the blood of the plant. It was another Asari, sliding out and depositing onto the ground. This one remained motionless for several moments. All kept their shotguns trained on her head, waiting for the inevitable reanimation.

It was at that moment Shepard realised this one was different. Her skin was blue, just like any other Asari, not the green of every other they’d seen thus far. Abruptly, she took in a huge gurgling breath, retching on the ground as she pushed herself onto her hands and knees. She vomited, litres of the green liquid pouring from her stomach, covering the ground around her even more than it already was. She fell backwards, finally looking up at the four weapons trained directly at her face.

The Asari began to rapidly push herself away using her hands, almost immediately slipping in the liquid beneath her. She slid towards the edge, barely catching herself, but not before getting a look into the almost bottomless void beneath them. “PLEASE DON’T SHOOT!” There was no where she could go. In one direction, certain death from the fall, the other, also certain death from four shotgun blasts to the face. “I’M NOT LIKE THE OTHERS!”

Shepard around at her companions, each unable to provide an answer to this new behaviour. “You’re not green, sure, but how are we to know you aren’t going to attack the second we put our weapons down?”

“You don’t.” The answer didn’t very little to placate the soldiers in front of the Asari. “But those were all clones of me. I could feel all of their deaths, but they weren’t me. I couldn’t control them, the Thorian did.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the final nail in the Thorian’s coffin. All of their heads swivelled, and watched as the final root broke. The mass that was the centre of the Thorian seemed to hang in mid-air for a few seconds, not truly comprehending its final death. After what seemed an eternity, it fell, plummeting into the abyss. There was no sound afterwards, even though Shepard knew a mass that size should have made an almighty racket when it hit the ground.

The shotguns raised as one, “Wait wait wait!” The Asari was panicking now, trying to think of anything to save her life, “You’re Commander Shepard, right? The one Saren’s been after?” The Commander nodded slightly, her interest piqued, “I can help you! I know why you’re here!”

“Talk.” She’d at least give this odd Asari a chance.

“You need the Cipher, to understand the vision from the beacon, yes?” She really hoped that’s why Shepard was here, or very soon she’d have a pleasant breeze blowing over her recently uncovered neck.

Shepard was stunned. “And how in the hell do you know that?”

“Saren told me. He was after the same thing.” Slightly more encouraged at the possibility of not dying this day, the Asari continued, “And he has it.” The guns edged a little closer, “I mean, he got it. Here. From me.”

“From you? A Prothean Cipher. The collected experiences of an entire race that hasn’t existed for 50,000 years? The very meaning of what it is to be Prothean? You? Have that?” The sarcasm in Shepard’s voice was practically dripping off every syllable.

Sensing her position becoming increasingly dicey, the Asari quickly clarified, “Not directly from me. He… gave me to the Thorian. I melded with the Thorian and it gifted the Cipher to me in trade, which I gave to Saren. After that… Saren betrayed his word. Sent the Geth to destroy the Thorian. I was absorbed and the Thorian defended itself.”

Shepard’s weapon lowered slightly, recognising the truth in this woman’s words. “You do have it.” She stowed her shotgun away, signalling for her squad to do the same. She offered a hand, helping the Asari back to her feet. “I never got your name.”

“Shiala.” She gave a small smile, now allowing herself to hope they’d let her live. “Thank you. For you know… freeing me.”

A question burned in Shepard’s mind, “Why would you let Saren just give you to the Thorian?”

“Because he told me to.” The matter-of-fact way she said it greatly confused the four assembled in front of her. Shala sensed this, sighing to herself, “I was one of Matriarch Benezia’s followers. She believed she could guide Saren down a more peaceful path, and I believed in her. So, I went with her onto Saren’s ship. But…” Her eyes darkened, still feeling the gnawing pull inside her mind, “That ship… it does things to you. To your mind. Makes you believe whatever Saren wants you to. I can’t explain it. You believe Saren is right, no matter how horrible you know his plan to be on the inside. That ship forces you to _want_ to follow him. To _need_ it more than you need to breathe.” Shiala swallowed, realising how much harm she’d done, “When it came time to submit myself to the Thorian, I did it gladly.”

Shepard’s suspicion grew once more, “And now? Do you still believe that? Believe in him?”

Shiala shook her head, “No.” She reconsidered her answer, “I can still feel the pull. But… whatever the Thorian did to me, that’s stronger. It overwhelms Saren’s control, gives it back to me.” The Asari looked at Shepard hopefully, “Look, I know what I’ve done is horrible. There’s no way to ever take it back or make up for serving that monster. But please let me help you. I can give you the Cipher, just like I did for Saren.” She was begging Shepard at this point.

The Commander was uncertain to say the least. She didn’t fully understand the pull that Saren’s ship had and who was to say that melding with this Asari, while giving her something she was certain they’d never be able to find, wouldn’t lead her to be swayed under Saren’s control. And that would be good for no one. Least of all Shepard herself. Conversely, she needed the Cipher. There was going to be literally no other way to get it, at least not that Shepard could see. If the Thorian had truly been here more than 50,000 years ago, it surely would have come into contact with Protheans given the extent of the ruins on Feros’ surface. And if it had, that would mean Shiala had exactly what she said she did. And likely the only source of it in the entire Milky Way.

“Okay.” Shepard breathed out the word, seeing no other option. “Let’s do it.”

Shiala was hesitant, watching the Commander’s three companions. She could see the Quarian’s glowing eyes giving her an extremely threatening look and the other two Human’s had their hands primed to pull their pistols out if necessary. She could even see the slight aura of biotics around the male’s fist. If this went awry, she wouldn’t see the next minute let alone the next day. She got as close as she needed to the Commander, not even a millimetre closer, lest she set the solder off in some way.

“Empty your mind, Commander.” Shiala closed her eyes, before they flew open, her pupils now expanded and covering her entire eyes, twin black orbs staring into Shepard’s green ones, “ _Embrace eternity_!”

Shepard felt the Asari’s presence in her mind, flooding her consciousness and subconsciousness with new information. It was completely unlike the beacon. It was almost as though an entire other mind was being imprinted upon her own, completely filling her up. Shepard felt like her head might burst from the sheer amount of knowledge rushing like a waterfall into her head. She grunted from the strain of absorbing an entire people’s identity. She now knew exactly how the Protheans perceived the galaxy around them, understanding them almost better than she did other Humans, and very surprising to her, even better than she knew herself.

It ended after only a few seconds, Shepard stumbling backwards and falling to one knee. She blinked hard, stars and random images flashing across her vision. They slowly cleared, leaving her with a mild headache. She almost folded back her helmet to rub at her temples, but caught herself, not wanting to breathe in the spore-laden air, even if the Thorian was actually dead. She was back to normal in less than a minute. Tali and Ashley were quick to kneel beside her, a hand from each on her shoulders. Kaidan looked alarmed at the Asari, drawing his pistol and aiming it straight at Shiala’s forehead in less than a second. “Kaidan. I’m fine.” The Lieutenant relaxed, but not entirely, still keeping his hand on the grip of the weapon.

Shiala had been less affected, only her breathing coming slightly more quickly and a light pain in her head, soothed by a simple massage from one hand at her temple. She looked uneasily between the four, finishing with locking her gaze to Shepard’s, just barely able to see the Commander’s green eyes through the opaque visor of her helmet. “So, um… what happens now? Are you going to kill me?”

Shepard cocked her head at the Asari. She’d be lying if she hadn’t been thinking of that exact option. She could still feel the aftershocks of the meld, random thoughts invading her mind, ones that were definitely not her own but also weren’t Shiala’s. They were so different, from an entirely foreign perspective. The only logical explanation was that they were a Prothean’s. Shiala had done it, given her the Cipher. Shepard made a decision, “No. We’re not.” The squad turned with alarmed looks, not understanding Shepard’s decision, but also not saying a word in opposition to it. They just had to trust she knew what she was doing.

Shiala smiled gratefully, “Thank you. I probably wouldn’t do the same in your shoes if I’m honest.”

They stood in silence for a few moments, letting the fact that they would all get out alive sink in, “What will you do now?”

Shiala looked up, in the direction of Zhu’s Hope, “I’ll stay here, in Zhu’s Hope. At least for a little while. They’ve all been under the sway of the Thorian for some time. Who knows what it did to their bodies, what help they might need? Or if removing its influence will change anything. If I can help in anyway, I need to. Try to make up for bringing all this pain upon them.”

“Some of them may need medical attention.” Shepard grimaced, “We didn’t kill any of them, but couldn’t avoid injuring some. Bullet wounds, concussions… poison gas inhalation for most.”

“I know.” Shiala clarified, knowing that statement would confuse them all, “I was still inside the Thorian when you were storming the colony. I could, for want of a better word, feel, what you were doing. Feel their pain. I know you did all you could to avoid killing them. Thank you.”

Shepard nodded, “They were innocent. Wouldn’t be much of a soldier if I gunned down civilians.”

Shiala offered her hand, Shepard taking it and shaking, “I hope we meet again Commander. And I hope you stop Saren.”

“I will.” Shepard’s confidence was heartening, and Shiala believed her. Actually believed in her, not like with Saren’s ship. Shepard just had that effect on people it seemed. She’d seen it in the meld.

 

* * *

 

**Monday, 5:50pm, 11 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Theseus System**

Shepard walked into the comm room, doing her best to avoid putting too much pressure on her left leg. The wound she’d sustained on Feros had been more serious than she’d thought, the bullet going almost to her femur. Dr. Chakwas had easily removed the offending projectile and had done her best to stich the wound up and apply medi-gel as necessary, but it still hurt. The Commander’s armour had done a great job of supporting her weight while still on the mission, allowing her to ignore the pain all together. As soon as she’d taken it off though, her groan of pain had called everyone’s attention within the cargo bay.

It had been Tali who had encouraged her to go to the med-bay and allow Dr. Chakwas to patch her up, not that the good doctor needed to know it wasn’t strictly Shepard’s first plan. The older woman had even commented she was surprised Shepard had come straight there. Shepard didn’t say anything, but her expression must have betrayed her, the Doctor almost instantly knowing it hadn’t been Shepard’s decision. The normal scolding lecture with just a hint of motherly-knowing. They both knew this wouldn’t be the last time Shepard would want to avoid going to get her wounds patched up. It prevented her from doing, what she considered, better things with her time. At least her arm was now healed, able to work out again.

Shepard made her way to the back of the comm room, leaning more on the railing than she normally would and carefully crossing her injured leg over the stronger one. Only Liara had arrived so far. She noted that the Asari was practically on the edge of her seat, obviously having heard the prize the Commander had received on Feros. If only Shepard knew how to transfer it, but she didn’t think it worked like that. The Archaeologist looked as though she might explode from how many questions she had, something Shepard would do her best to avoid.

“Joker, any word from the colonists at Zhu’s Hope?”

The pilot’s voice echoed in the room, “ _Only about a million apologies. They’re even thanking you for shooting them! Can we get all the people who try to kill you to do this? It’s a real nice change of pace._ _Maybe without the whole ‘possessed by a few thousand-year-old plant’ thing though. That’s kind of a drag._ ”

Shepard chuckled, “I mean, I’ll try, but don’t get your hopes up on Saren singing us a song about love and friendship.”

“ _Why did you put that image in my head_?”

Her laughter became louder, “Cause it’d annoy you mostly.” Finally, everyone else that needed to be present filed in, taking their seats and waiting for Shepard to start.

Liara couldn’t keep herself quiet anymore, “So you have the Cipher?!”

Shepard nodded, a slight smile at the Asari’s enthusiasm, “Yes. In a very roundabout way. I assume you want to try and see if you can help me understand the vision now?” Dr. T’Soni didn’t trust her voice, only nodding vigorously. “Okay. Let's do it.”

Shepard made her way to the centre of the room and faced Liara, doing her best to hide her injured leg from the rest of the crew. They didn’t need to know that she was injured more than she let on. It would do nothing good for the morale on the ship, high as it was at the moment with their success on Feros.

“Relax Commander. _Embrace eternity_!”

The flood of another person’s consciousness rushed into Shepard’s mind for the second time that day. It took longer for Liara to pull the beacon’s vision forward, the Asari almost overwhelmed by what seemed to be a second identity within the Commander’s own. She pushed past the odd feeling as quickly as possible, calling the Prothean beacon’s vision to the forefront of Shepard’s mind. It was different now, clearer than before. The images seemed to stay in Liara’s mind for far longer, more detailed than before. The Asari still struggled to make sense of it, coming away with an almost completely overwhelming sense of dread and foreboding. The vision was a warning, a warning of the Reapers and what they could and would do when they returned. Destroy all intelligent life in the galaxy, leaving almost no proof of any of the civilisations except for a few trace records.

Shepard had a harder time with it then Liara. The second the vision came to her mind, the Human took in a sharp breath, a gasp issuing from her lips, her vision completely encompassed by the Prothean’s warning. The others in the room watched as Shepard’s biotics began to curl dark energy around her fists, clenched by her sides. She stood still, spine straightening to its full extent and looking up at the ceiling with sightless eyes. The coiling power spread up her arms, soon radiating away from her. The Prothean’s vision absorbed her complete attention, nothing except for it in her eyes, nothing but the roaring of alien jaws and that unholy sound of Saren’s ship in her ears. The vision came to its close, a Reaper charging at her sight, before something new came to the forefront. A black sphere, surrounded by huge concentric rings. What was it? Shepard couldn’t entirely tell, but she knew it was important.

Garrus and Wrex leapt to their feet after looking at each other, grabbing each one of the Commander’s arms, and trying to hold her still. They had rightly assumed they would be the only ones with the physical strength to restrain the erratic biotic display Shepard was unknowingly releasing. It flared up, striking both aliens, Garrus grunting from the force and only just managing to keep his grip. Wrex did better, only shifting his stance slightly to a more stable one.

Liara’s eyes cleared of the black they had undertaken during the meld, surprised to find Shepard restrained by the Turian and Krogan. A few seconds later, Shepard came out, her biotics shutting off and slumping slightly in the arms holding her, only just managing to catch herself before she fell completely to the ground. She realised she was being held, quickly gaining her own footing so they would let go. She was thoroughly embarrassed at needing to be held up.

“That was… interesting.” Shepard’s voice sounded very quiet even to herself. She coughed, trying to reassert herself, “Clearer than before.”

Liara studied the Commander curiously, trying to figure out what had happened, “Very much so. I didn’t fully understand it, but it was left by the Protheans to warn of the Reapers, even if it couldn’t save them. Perhaps they thought we’d get the message and prepare better than they could, defeat the Reapers when they tried the same thing on us.”

“There’s something else.” Shepard was still breathing a bit hard and it felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She collected her thoughts, “That beacon had a message, but not just the warning about the Reapers. There was a facility… some of the best minds the Protheans had to offer. They were trying to study the Reapers, figure out a way to beat them. But they ran out of time.” One last piece clicked into place, “The Conduit! That’s what they were able to create!” She searched her mind for a location, “It’s on-” The next word Shepard said only earned confused looks from everyone in the room, except for Liara. The word had been in the Prothean language. “Sorry. Ilos.”

“Ilos?” Liara was incredulous, “I’ve heard of it before. It was said to be one of the jewels of the Prothean civilisation. No one knows where it is. The only known relay to its system was lost millennia ago by most estimates.”

Shepard’s eyes widened, “Lost? How the fuck do you lose a relay?”

The Asari shifted uncomfortably, “A supernova hit it. The Mu relay it’s called. Expeditions have been planned trying to find it, but they never get very far. It’s the only hope of getting to Ilos.”

Shepard rubbed at her eyes with the base of her palms, “God damnit.” She straightened up quickly, “We better hope Noveria has a better lead to stopping Saren then. Dismissed.” The abrupt dismissal caught everyone by surprise, but no one argued, leaving Shepard alone in the room.

“ _Want me to patch you through to the Council_?”

Joker’s suggestion was slightly unwelcome, but Shepard did technically report to them, so she thought better than saying no this time. She’d been putting it off and they would eventually call her anyway. Shepard sighed, “Put them through.”

 

* * *

 

**Monday, 11:30pm, 11 th of January 2183**

**Cargo Bay, SSV Normandy SR-1, Theseus System**

 

Shepard stood in front of the punching bag, landing blow after blow into the heavy object. She’d decided to ignore Doctor Chakwas’ orders and use both legs, despite her still healing injury. Her kicks sent the bag swinging wildly, not even bothering to hold back her biotics. She knew this would likely end in the whole thing splitting open and spilling whatever the hell was inside of the specially-designed and reinforced bag all over the floor, but she didn’t care. She was pissed.

The Cipher had given them a target, but absolutely no way to use it. How were they supposed to get to a planet that, for all intents and purposes, didn’t exist? If Noveria held no answers, they were back to square one, hoping Saren would pop up somewhere in the galaxy and they’d be able to catch him fast enough to take down the rogue Spectre once and for all.

Shepard was too engrossed in the punching bag to notice the elevator door open, and nearly the entire crew of the Normandy pile out. She’d put earphones in, drowning out any noise they may have made while crossing to stand behind her. As they approached, her fists sped up, hitting the bag with more force than it was intended to be able to withstand. Much to the surprise of everyone present, her last punch split it open, and very nearly came out the other side. She leaned heavily against it, wrenching her fist free while breathing hard. She was covered in sweat, finally turning around and doing a double take at everyone watching her.

She pulled the earphones out, scanning all of their faces, “Uhh… care to explain why no one is at their post?” She noticed Garrus looking very uncomfortable, not wearing his usual armour or even the casual clothes he would normally sleep in. If anything, he was wearing workout clothes, which only covered his legs and feet, his chest bare. Wrex only grinned at her.

Joker shuffled forward, a conspiratorial glimmer in his eye, “Well, I heard you and Garrus talking the other morning about sparring against each other and-”

Shepard held up a hand, silencing the pilot, “You were listening in on private conversations? Again?” She wasn’t exactly surprised, but definitely annoyed. Joker had a habit of hearing things, or more accurately deliberately listening to, things that had nothing to do with him.

“We’re getting off track here.” Joker quickly changed the subject to avoid a lecture from the Commander, “I thought it might be good for morale if you did it.” Shepard narrowed her eyes at him, “And plus, people were willing to bet on it.”

Everyone on the crew avoided Shepard’s gaze, not wanting to catch her obvious ire. She looked to the Turian, only getting a shrug from the alien. Shepard returned her attention to Joker, “You have terrible ideas.”

“Well, technically it was your idea.” Shepard took a step closer to him, “But come on! Surely you wanna know the answer!”

Wrex chuckled, “You can fight me if you want Shepard. I’ll go easy on you.”

Shepard looked around at everyone, relenting, “Alright fine.” They all cheered. “What are the rules?”

Joker was quick to answer, “No biotics. No use of deadly force. Nothing that will cause injury. First one to tap out loses.”

Shepard rolled her neck out and cracked her knuckles, smirking up at the Turian, “Time to see if I was right Vakarian.”

“You definitely weren’t.” Garrus’ two-toned voice was filled with confidence. Shepard’s smirk only grew wider. She was going to enjoy proving him wrong.

They faced off in a clear section of the cargo hold, stretching before they really got down to it. The crew surrounded them on all sides, creating a ring for their match. Joker’s voice echoed out from where he leant against the wall. “Ladies and gentlemen, aliens and tentacles, welcome to Normandy Fight Night!” Shepard rolled her eyes from where she stood. Of course, he had a speech prepared, “In this corner  we have, the Officer tired of the red tape and ready to shoot you between the eyes from a click away, Garrus Vakarian!” The crowd cheered, Garrus finishing up with a roll of his shoulders, falling back into a Turian boxing stance. “And in this corner,” He drum rolled on the wall behind him, “You know her. You love her. You’re probably at least a little bit terrified of her, the one, the only, Commander Shepard!” This cheer was much louder, led by an exuberant Krogan who, if how he was wobbling slightly, was a bit drunk. Shepard really hoped only Wrex had drunk anything. She didn’t need an entire crew with hangovers tomorrow.

Shepard studied Garrus for a moment, noting everything about his stance. Cautious, more for defence than offense. A good first choice. She’d never seen a male Turian without their shirt on before. The interlocking plates on his chest would provide ample defence against her strikes. She'd have to fight smart, use his far larger frame against him. More than a foot taller and at least if not more than double her weight, she’d be hard pressed to use any of the throws she knew, unless he walked right into one. Shepard assumed she would be faster than him, even without biotics to enhance her reflexes.

They circled each other for a few moments, eyes locked together. The air practically sizzled with the anticipation.

Shepard abruptly closed the distance with a few quick steps, striking out with a jab to Garrus’ midsection. It was quickly countered, as she knew it would be, a hook in retaliation coming straight towards her head. The Human saw it coming, her other hand coming up and turning it aside, using the Turian’s momentum to send him past her. She aimed a kick at his exposed back. Garrus was faster, spinning and bringing his arm around to hold off her leg. His forearm effectively blocked her shin, buckling slightly with the force she’d put in but not enough for the blow to actually stagger him.

Shepard leapt backwards for barely a second before unleashing a flurry of quick jabs and uppercuts, keeping Garrus on the defensive. His extra height made it much harder to defend against her lower blows, though she wasn’t actually aiming for any sensitive parts. He soon read her attack pattern, blocking every blow she could throw forward and starting with a few of his own. Garrus’ fist rushed from underneath; Shepard able to do nothing but bring her arms down in defence. The three-taloned fist connected with her crossed arms over her chest. For the barest second, Garrus thought he’d landed the first solid blow of the bout. Shepard’s small grin proved him wrong.

The Commander, almost quicker than Officer Vakarian could see, spun to the side, ducking and getting right under his arm. She reached up, capturing his wrist with both hands and slamming her back into his body. With a small twist of her upper body and a push from her powerful legs, Garrus was sent up and over Shepard’s head, landing heavily on the ground with a grunt. A cheer went up from the crowd, none louder than Wrex, with a surprisingly loud Quarian not far behind him. Shepard winked at Tali, refocusing on Garrus.

Garrus was back on his feet within a few seconds, cursing his inability to see what Shepard had been trying to do with that last attack. He could physically overpower the Human, he knew this. Without her biotics, Shepard was exceptionally strong for a Human, but nothing compared to a Turian, especially one who had over a foot of height on her, as well as hand to hand training from some of the best trainers the Turian military had to offer. While his height came with some disadvantages, it allowed him to strike down if necessary, and try to catch Shepard by surprise. Though considering his opponent, that likely wouldn’t work.

Shepard was back on him immediately once he’d regained his footing, once more not giving him a chance to attack. She’d somehow managed to completely change her fighting style, going from traditional Earth boxing attacks to what he now recognised as Asari Commando discipline. Fast and hard, the strikes continued to rain onto the Turian, with no sign of slowing down.

Suddenly, Garrus sprung his trap. He managed to catch one of Shepard’s fists, then the other. She struggled against his grip, knowing she could break out if she used her biotics, but kept to the rules. Then, she did exactly what the Turian had been expecting. She leapt into the air, using his hands as leverage, attempting to plant her feet into his chest and send him crashing to the ground. Shepard realised her mistake too late. He let go of her fists, stepping to the side and wrapping arms around her legs, one above her knee, the other below. With a twist and not insignificant strength, the Commander was tossed to the ground like a ragdoll, actually bouncing once before sliding and coming to a stop.

Garrus tutted, “Too predictable Shepard, you’re better than that.”

Shepard grinned, putting her hands back behind her head on the ground and vaulting straight back to her feet. “Had to give you something, you were so slow Vakarian.”

Tali couldn’t take her eyes off Shepard. That last attack from Garrus had undone the messy ponytail she’d had her hair done up in, so that it now all stuck to the skin of her shoulders, the sweat giving her a shiny look. Her chest was rising heavily with each deep breath, making her perfect abs flex with every motion. Tali was very glad no one was focusing on her, or they might have noticed her own breathing quickening at the sight, or even the burning that was spreading its way across her cheeks beneath the visor. Heat coiled in the Quarian’s chest and also further down. The wink from before had started all of this. Now, it wouldn’t stop.

The two fighters circled each other once more, chests rising and falling from the exertion. Shepard was oh so tempted to pick up Garrus with her biotics and make him tap out, but it would be more fun to beat him the old-fashioned way. The question was, how to do that?

Garrus was the one to rush forward this time, his leg sweeping in a wide arc towards Shepard. She bent over backwards, the offending limb sailing over so close, she could feel it hit the wild strands of her hair. The Turian tried to capitalise on her momentary lack of balance, bringing his fist down towards the Human’s undefended core. Shepard saw it coming, bringing her hands back onto the ground and pushing herself into a handstand, the Turian’s fist sailing between her legs, one foot surging up to give Garrus a heavy crack to the underside of his jaw. The Turian stumbled back, shocked and rubbing at his mandible. Shepard came back down to her feet, an infuriating smirk on her face.

He pressed his attack, switching completely to an offensive style and forcing Shepard on the defence. Garrus landed a few punches to her sides, not hard enough to break bone, but definitely bruise. The problem was, Shepard gave as good as she got. Garrus had never seen someone able to seem to be on the defensive in a fight like this but still able to land strikes that he knew could’ve broken his chest plates if she’d been using everything in her arsenal.

The cheering around them got louder as the fight went on, both Garrus and Shepard unable to turn the tides against the other but still land solid hits on each other. Everyone could see the bruises start to appear on both their chests, a sign the fight had been going on for a significant amount of time, showing no sign of slowing.

Shepard kept going, searching for a way to make Garrus tap out. They both had incredible endurance and could easily keep the fight going for much longer. But that would likely end in one of them not holding back properly and actually hurting the other, even if it was unintentional. A sudden thought occurred to her. It brought a smile to her face.

The Commander swung wide with her right arm, instantly capitalised on by the Turian. Garrus grabbed her wrist with his right arm, and pressed his left palm hard into her shoulder. He exerted some force, driving Shepard to bend over at the hips, leaving her at his mercy. She was effectively immobilised. Shepard struggled against the hold, knowing there was no way to possible free herself without breaking a joint. Well, that’s what she wanted Garrus to think.

“Sloppy Shepard. I suggest you tap out. Don’t want to have to break your wrist.” The two-toned voice echoed in the cargo bay; the crowd having gone silent as they watched the drama unfold. He turned her wrist at a painful angle for show, Shepard grunting from the movement.

Shepard turned her head, just enough to let Garrus see her grin, “That’s just something I can’t do Garrus. Considering I’ve won.” The Turian barely had time to ponder how she could possible win from this position.

The Commander sprung into action. Her legs bent slightly, she soared into the air, flipping over backwards, using all her might to twist her arm into a more comfortable position within Garrus’ grip. Her knees seized hard on either side of the Turian’s head, his eyes going wide at this turn of events. With a jerking motion of her legs, and using her new position as leverage, Garrus soared into the air, up and over Shepard’s body. Her arm came free while still in the air, using her trained reflexes to seize Garrus’ own right arm. The Turian hit the ground with a thundering crash, his arm now at Shepard’s mercy.

Both hands gripped his wrist, twisting it at a painful angle, crossing her legs around his arm, one foot pressed into the side of his face, the other into his armpit. She pulled the limb tight, preventing all movement. “How about you tap out?”

Garrus struggled for a few seconds, trying to free himself. His left arm attempted to reach over, unable to as Shepard pushed harder with both feet, turning his whole body as well as arm further away from their goal. While he was stronger than Shepard, the one limb she had hold of could not overpower all four of hers. He attempted for a second more.

Garrus’ left arm came down with a resounding thud, the crew of the Normandy breaking out into a chorus of cheers. Shepard released his right arm, rolling backwards over her head and back onto her feet with a display of gymnastic flexibility. She offered a hand down to Garrus with a grin, the Turian waiting for a moment before accepting. Shepard looked around at her crew, mostly smiling faces, with a few slightly disgruntled but still smiling. They must have bet against her. Shepard smiled to herself, _That’ll teach them. Never bet against a Shepard._

Joker hobbled forward, grabbing her arm and raising it up over her head, “There you have it! Commander Shepard is the winner! I will be accepting all losing betters right now. Winners… you can wait.”

Shepard laughed as she walked away, amused at Joker’s future as a bookkeeper. “All of you better be back in your posts within the next few minutes.” She called out over her shoulder. And for good measure, “Or its cleaning duty for all of you!” The crew scrambled out of the cargo bay, most crushing into the elevator, Shepard’s laughter following them all the way up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	8. Call Me Eliza

**Tuesday, 1:20am, 12 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Theseus System**

Shepard had waited till the crew had left the cargo bay and she was sure they weren’t coming back down for any reason, before nearly collapsing onto the small table next to her workout equipment. Her left hand fell gently over her thigh, her palm coming away entirely stained with blood. She grimaced, knowing for a fact she’d ripped the wound back open in the bout. It probably didn’t help she’d been training on it before that, the fight just probably gave it that final push.

Shepard quickly looked around, making absolutely certain no one else was present in the cargo bay. At this time, there wouldn’t even be any of the engineering team down in the engine room. She pulled her tight workout pants down, inspecting the wound for herself. Luckily for her, the pants were dark, so no one had noticed the blood seeping through while they were all still down here. The blood had only spread a little bit around the injury, less than she’d originally thought considering the size of the stain. She wiped it away with a towel, finding the bullet wound only opened up a small way.

The Commander groaned to herself. All she’d actually done was rip a few of the stitches out, something Doctor Chakwas could fix relatively easily. It hurt more than it should have, but more medi-gel would sort that out quick smart. Now she just had to figure out how to convince the good Doctor not to scold her for going against her orders. She hadn’t seen Chakwas down here for the fight, presuming either Joker hadn’t told her, or it wasn’t really her scene. She hoped both were true, knowing she definitely should have listened to the Doctor in the first place and that fact would be brought up for sure.

But then again, when had Shepard ever listened to any of the Alliance’s health professionals? She’d been working out her shoulder two weeks after the sniper shot on Elysium. That had been her most serious injury to date and had actually required proper surgery to fix, unlike every other one.

Shepard was completely distracted by inspecting her wound, not hearing anything else. Her blood continued to seep out of the injury at a slow rate, Shepard constantly dabbing at it with the towel while she planned how to get to the medbay with the least amount of weight she could possibly put on it, trying not to rip the stitches out that she knew were deeper in the muscle. She certainly didn’t hear the three-toed footsteps from the engine room.

Tali walked out of the engine room, having finished her final inspection for the night. Not something that needed to be done, but something the Quarian felt she had to do before she could properly sleep. She heard a groan of pain, knowing the sound of Shepard even after the short time they’d known each other. Maybe she was more injured from the sparring with Garrus than it had appeared. She crossed over the cargo bay to where the noise was coming from, rounding a crate and coming to a sight she wasn’t exactly prepared to see.

The engineer took a sharp breath in as she beheld Commander Shepard, half-seated on a table with her pants down around her knees. It took the Quarian a few seconds for her brain to register anything other than the barely clothed Human, her mouth going dry at the sight. When she finally noticed the blood-stained towel next to Shepard, the Commander had looked up, seeing the Quarian, hastily getting back to her feet and pulled her pants straight back up. She tried her best to look nonchalant even as her cheeks burned in embarrassment.

Shepard’s heart was pounding as she stammered out a few words, “Oh, hey Tali. Didn’t think anyone was still down here.” She swallowed heavily, waiting for the Quarian’s response.

Tali shook her head, forcing her brain back into gear, “Just checking the engine.” She avoided Shepard’s eyes for a moment, the silence stretching between them before she finally broke it. “Did Garrus do that?”

She’d pointed at the towel next to Shepard, the Human shaking her head, thankful for the change in subject away from her being mostly naked, “No… well, not originally. The bullet wound from Feros must’ve opened back up in the fight. Didn’t realise how much till now.”

Tali took a chance, walking forward. When Shepard didn’t object, she continued, “Do you need help to get up to the medbay? Doctor Chakwas should probably take a look.”

Shepard froze for a second, considering rejecting the offer but quickly came to her senses, “That’d be great.” She stood up, swinging an arm over Tali’s shoulders. Shepard guessed that without the Quarian’s suit on, she’d be a couple of inches shorter than herself, but with it, they were about exactly the same height. Perfect to help her walk without putting weight on her injured leg.

They made it to the elevator without any trouble, successfully preventing Shepard’s wound from getting any worse. The ride up was silent, Shepard remaining with her arm around Tali’s shoulders and the Quarian’s firmly around her waist. They could have separated once on the elevator, but neither did. Both convinced themselves it was because separating would run the risk of moving her leg the wrong way. Not for any other reason, for sure.

The walk to the medbay was quick, the door hissing open so they could move inside. Shepard knew Doctor Chakwas would be here in a few minutes, roused from her sleep by the sensor she knew the Doctor had on the door. Tali helped Shepard up onto one of the beds, lifting the Human’s legs for her to swing up and over. Shepard moved back till she was propped up against the wall, closing her eyes and sighing as her leg settled back down. It was less painful in this position.

They waited for several minutes, Shepard drumming her fingers on the bed as they did. She turned slightly, looking out the window into the darkened mess hall, hoping to spy the Doctor coming through so she could go to bed herself. She saw nothing. “Hmmm… Doctor Chakwas is normally here by now. Must really be asleep.”

Tali perked up slightly, daring herself to ask the question, “I… could… take a look if you want.” Shepard cocked her head at the Quarian, slightly confused. Tali clarified, “Quarians learn how to patch ourselves up before we go on our Pilgrimage. In case we run into anything dangerous. I actually patched myself up a little when I got shot on the Citadel. That was even a Polonium round.” Tali was proud of herself for that one. Managing to do even the small amount of first aid on herself while poisoned was a feat she was incredibly glad she had managed.

Shepard was hesitant. She trusted Tali, but considering they had a fully trained surgeon on board, and she was the commanding officer, it would behove her to get her reopened wound looked at by a professional. But, if it got Tali to get that sing-song tone in her voice again, what was the harm?

“Alright. Only if you’re okay with it though.” Shepard made sure to put the choice in Tali’s hands. It was already going to be awkward enough stripping down for the alien to actually look at the wound. Making the choice completely her own was not something Shepard thought she could handle.

Tali nodded, turning away and going to the medical supplies, moving the trolley with the more basic equipment next to Shepard’s bed. She avoided her sight while Shepard half took off her exercise pants. She left her right leg in the fabric, while her left was completely exposed. She was trying to show as little skin as she could, but considering she was only wearing a sports bra and tights that only reached half of the way down her shin, this was surprisingly difficult. She leaned back against the wall as Tali came closer, avoiding eye contact as she looked at the wound.

Tali leaned down, trying to get a sense of how serious the wound had actually been. She could see the snapped stiches that Doctor Chakwas had put in, as well as the still intact ones just a little below Shepard’s skin. She could tell that the bullet had carved a very deep path into the Human’s flesh. “Keelah… how were you still able to walk after this?”

“When you’ve been shot as many times as I have, you get used to it.” Shepard said with a shrug, “Plus, medi-gel works wonders. Armour holds me together too.”

Tali shook her head, “Wait… how many times have you been shot?”

The Commander’s brow furrowed, thinking hard back on her military career. She held up her hands, trying to count down all the times that she’d actually been injured. Tali’s eyes widened as she had to reset her ten fingers more than once. “Twenty-eight? Wait, no, twenty-nine. That’s including this one.”

The Quarian gave the Human a deadpan look, “You’ve been shot twenty-nine times Shepard?!” Tali was amazed she was even still alive. It seemed as though Shepard was invincible, and given the way she handled herself on the battlefield, Tali was inclined to believe she actually was.

Shepard giggled, “Oh yeah. Though to be fair, eleven of those were on Elysium. Those pirates were shit shots. Could’ve taken me out soooo many times. Like this one.” She pointed at the large scar just below her collarbone on her left, “Batarian-issue sniper rifle. Could have, frankly _should have_ , shot me in the head or centre of the chest. But he goes for the shoulder. I have to assume he was going for my heart and just really fucked up. Even my gut would’ve done it!”

Tali gave her own short laugh, “Only you would consider that a mistake, Shepard.”

“If you’re gonna shoot someone, at least have the decency to shoot them properly.” Shepard crossed her arms, giving a not entirely convincing indignant pout.

Tali gently patted Shepard’s shoulder, “Don’t worry Shepard, if I ever shoot you, I’ll make sure to go for somewhere that’ll do the job.”

Shepard grinned, “Thank you. At least someone cares.” They both laughed, the actual purpose of their trip to the medbay almost forgotten. Shepard shifted the wrong way, a groan issuing from her lips, Tali seeming to snap out of a trance and actually look back down at the wound.

“I better take a look at this properly now.” Tali moved her attention to the injury in question, busying herself as her mind raced with thoughts. Normally, with literally anyone else, even the other Quarians she grew up with, she was shy, almost paralyzingly so. And to top it all off, it didn’t help how attracted she was to Shepard. Long red hair she wanted to run her hands through, well-muscled body she wanted to feel every inch of and be felt by, green eyes she was certain she could get lost in if given the chance. But, with Shepard, her shyness vanished, replaced by a boldness she’d never known. She’d barely met this Human two weeks ago and already she’d had a profound effect on Tali. It seemed to the young woman’s eyes that the Human had a certain effect on everyone she came into contact with, no matter how briefly. You wanted to follow her to the gates of hell and burst straight through.

Tali examined the wound, seeing what she’d have to do to get the Commander back on her feet. It was fairly simple. Shepard had only really damaged the stitches right at the surface. Tali turned to the small trolley, taking the needle and thread along with a few strips of gauze. She wiped away the fresh blood, applying a small amount of anaesthetic with the wipe she was using. Her eyes glanced up at Shepard’s face, the Human watching intently at what she was doing. The biotic hadn’t even flinched at what surely must be paining her. Her pain tolerance must have been extremely high, at least a lot higher than Tali’s.

The needle went through the damaged flesh, pulling a long length of the thread through. Once more, not even a hint of discomfort from Tali’s patient. The Quarian continued with her work, closing the wound as efficiently as possible. The Geth’s weapon had left a relatively clean wound, so closing it once again wasn’t hard.

Once she was done, Tali layered several lengths of gauze over the injury, covering it and hopefully protecting it from further damage. She assumed Doctor Chakwas hadn’t done the same because she assumed Shepard would follow her instructions. She probably didn’t know about Joker’s plan to have her fight Garrus so soon after the mission. Even one day more might have been enough to prevent exactly what had happened to Shepard.

“There, all done.” Tali looked down at her gloves, noting they were stained with a small amount of Shepard’s blood. She’d have to wash that off. It would likely cause a reaction the next time she needed to open her suit for any reason if she left it as is.

Shepard admired the Quarian’s handiwork, “I think you did a better job than Doctor Chakwas.” Shepard quickly realised what she’d said, “Don’t tell her I said that.”

Tali laughed, “I won’t. And you’re welcome, Shepard. Probably-”

“Eliza.” Eliza interrupted the young woman, not entirely certain why she did. She stared down at her hands.

“Hmm?” Tali was confused, unsure of what Shepard meant.

Eliza swallowed, looking back up at the Quarian after a few seconds, “My friends call me Eliza.” She quickly avoided her gaze again, “Not that I have many, but yeah.” What was she doing? What was it about Tali that made Eliza want to get to know her better? Why was her heart racing in this moment when it should have been still? It wasn’t a feeling she was used to. She needed to get a grip on herself. Fraternisation of any sort was not what this mission needed.

“What do you mean? What about Joker? And Kaidan? Haven’t you known him for years?” Despite her questions, Tali was excited that Shepard, no, _Eliza_ , considered her a friend.

Eliza shook her head, “Joker is sure, but ultimately, he’s my subordinate. He and I have an understanding. I give him room to be slightly cocky and disobedient. But I know that when it comes down to it, he will follow my orders when I give them. So being his friend isn’t the easiest or most practical thing.” She paused, thinking for a moment, “And Kaidan… I have known him for years, yes. He and I have a…” She searched for the right word, “complicated… history. I’m not sure if we’re exactly friends.”

“Oh…” Tali couldn’t hide the disappointment from her voice. So, it was like that with them. She’d sensed something was off between them since meeting the two Humans. Now she knew what it was. They had history. Exactly the type of history that would prevent Tali from getting to know Eliza better in the way she wanted, but probably shouldn’t.

Eliza heard the tone of the Quarian’s voice, quickly replying before she was misunderstood, “Oh, no! Not like that!” Her cheeks began to heat up with embarrassment. She couldn’t stop them before she was bright red. Eliza’s pale skin had always made it hard to hide that she was flustered. She needed to fix this, for a reason she still wasn’t quite sure of. “We never, I never-” She breathed deeply, stopping herself from stammering on further. “Kaidan isn’t my… type, exactly. He says he knows that, but I don’t think he’s ever really come to terms with it.”

The heady feeling Tali got whenever she was around Eliza returned, almost dashed in the last minute, but coming back stronger than ever. “Sounds like his problem. Not something you need to worry about in my opinion, Eliza.” It felt a little strange but also right to call Shepard by her first name. Tali had noticed fairly quickly that no one called her by it, but she assumed it was because they were beneath her in military rank and it was therefore against protocol or something like that. Maybe it was out of respect? Eliza had definitely earned that from every single member of the Normandy’s crew and beyond it.

Eliza took an involuntary breath in at hearing her name on the Quarian’s lips. Why did she feel like this around Tali? None of her very few friends caused this sort of reaction. Although, she could count the people she could call true friends on one hand, and that number included her mother. Even girlfriends she’d had didn’t even come close to making her heart pound just by being around them. And she’d barely known Tali for even two weeks. This was not normal, Eliza knew that. What was so special about Tali? What made the Quarian different from every other person she’d ever met? Eliza didn’t even know what Tali looked like underneath the mask. Frankly, she didn’t actually know what Quarians looked like at all, aside from the glowing eyes always visible behind their visors.

The Human smiled, “Yeah. I guess it is, isn’t it?” She’d never thought of her relationship with Kaidan that way. Not that she’d ever blamed herself for telling him the truth about what she wanted and rejecting any possibility of what Kaidan had wanted between them. It was just that, she hadn’t wanted to lose him as a friend, but hadn’t known how to keep him at the same time. Eliza knew he’d never truly given up hope of being with her, despite the obvious barrier to that happening. It made keeping his friendship difficult. Even when she’d learned he was assigned to the Normandy, she’d hoped Kaidan would be able to put aside his feelings for the mission. So far, he had. But who knew what the future held and if he would keep to that?

Tali glanced down, noting that Eliza was still essentially naked, sports bra and only one leg actually in her pants. She coughed at the same time the woman herself seemed to realise this. The blush crept back onto Eliza’s face, with the red creeping down her neck, hurriedly pulling them back on and smiling sheepishly.

Tali ventured to break the awkward silence, “Should probably check if you can walk on it properly. Wouldn’t want to find out later I’d only injured you more.”

“You promised you’d only injure me properly. None of this only slight maiming.” Eliza’s confidence was back, but the underlying feelings she’d been dealing with in the last few minutes were still there. She’d have to deal with them later. Now was not the time.

Tali laughed, “Well, I hope I’ve kept my promise then.”

Eliza tentatively swung her legs over the side of the bed, lowering herself to the ground. Her full weight rested on her right leg for a moment, breathing deeply before lowering the other. As she put more and more weight on her left leg, Eliza was surprised to find there was almost no pain. Significantly less than when even Doctor Chakwas had finished sewing her up the first time. This pain she could cope with and ignore almost completely. Eliza had been genuinely worried she’d have to delay the mission to Noveria by at least a little, but it seemed that was no longer necessary.

She turned to Tali, a huge grin splitting her face, “Good as new.” She rocked on her feet a few times, transferring weight from the front to the back and in reverse. “You might have a future as an Engineer _and_ Doctor, Miss Zorah.”

Tali joined Eliza in blushing, hoping her visor would hide it, “I’ll keep that in mind, Miss Shepard. And while I’m being a Doctor, in my professional medical opinion, I wouldn’t recommend using that leg for a while.”

Eliza rolled her eyes, the action not removing the grin in the slightest, “If that is the Doctor’s order, I shall follow it to the letter.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it.”

Eliza laughed, happening to glance at the clock on the far wall. 2:30am. Where had all the time gone? “Wow, didn’t realise it was that late. We should probably get to sleep.” They both started towards the door, almost bumping into each other several times.

The two women reached the mess hall, where they both knew their paths would diverge, Tali off to her sleeping capsule, Eliza to the Commanding Officer’s quarters. Tali turned to face Eliza fully, “Goodnight Eliza.”

“Goodnight Tali.” Eliza watched her go for a few seconds before finally turning away toward her quarters. She didn’t notice Tali look back over her shoulder and watch the Human till she was out of sight. Nor would she have been able to seen the huge smile that mirrored Eliza’s own.

 

* * *

 

**Tuesday, 11:30am, 12 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Pax System**

 

Shepard waited patiently while Doctor Chakwas inspected her leg wound, ensuring it would be ok for her to continue with the mission to Noveria. They’d arrived in the Pax System an hour before hand, and Shepard was itching to get the mission underway. Unfortunately for her, the Doctor insisted on clearing her for duty. Shepard knew it was really for her benefit, but it still annoyed her nonetheless.

Shepard glanced over at her armour, the under layer currently sitting over the back of a chair, the harder outer sections on the table nearby, just waiting to be put on. She’d actually been fully kitted out before being caught by Doctor Chakwas and almost dragged up to the medbay and forced to strip back down. Shepard was tempted to just spring to her feet and run out the door, but stopped, figuring it was easier to just deal with the assessment.

A hum of approval came from Doctor Chakwas, finishing her evaluation, “You’re all good to go Commander. The stitches are all intact.” She wrapped a bandage around the Commander’s leg, covering the still healing wound, “Leave this over it to prevent further injury and you’ll be fine.”

“You know I would’ve gone anyway, right?” Shepard cocked an eyebrow at Chakwas, the older woman giving the hint of a smile in return.

“I’m well aware of that Commander. It is one of the most frustrating things about treating you. You’re just lucky Miss Zorah is very good with her hands.”

Shepard’s eyes widened, spluttering out her words, “I-I-I don’t know what you’re talking about. Tali didn’t do this.”

The Doctor had a mischievous look in her eyes as she appraised the Commander’s excuse, “Oh? So that wasn’t you and her last night in my medbay?” Shepard was at a loss for words. They’d waited for a while for the Doctor to show up, but she was convinced the sensor on the medbay door hadn’t woken her up. “You do know these windows can be turned opaque? Anyone could’ve seen you two in here.”

The Commander felt her face heat up, not seeing a point in keeping up the façade any longer, “Well, when you didn’t show up, Tali offered to help.”

“Indeed. I’ll admit I took longer than I normally would, but stopped when I saw you two through the window.” Doctor Chakwas studied Shepard closely, wondering whether she should call out the Commander on her obvious affection for the Quarian crew member. While she didn’t know the biotic that well, she’d heard things about one of the most decorated soldiers in the Alliance military. There were several reprimands in her file for fraternisation. This seemed different though, or at least that’s what the Doctor had surmised. “And she did an excellent job. As good as I would have done actually.” Her expression became far more serious, appraising the Commander for several moments, “I’ve noticed you’ve been spending a lot of time with our newest Engineer on and off the Normandy, Commander. You’ve yet to not take her on any of the Normandy’s ground missions.”

Shepard nodded, for the moment not suspicious of the Doctor, “Tali has proven herself extremely capable. Her knowledge of the Geth makes her invaluable.”

“And there is no other reason for it?”

Shepard shrank uncomfortably on the bed, beginning to recognise what Chakwas was doing, “Of course not. Always for the mission.”

“You are aware I have access to and have gone through your medical file, Shepard?” She nodded, “And listed in that there are several unscheduled check-ups with Alliance medical personnel after,” The Doctor coughed, bringing all focus to her next few words, “…encounters, with some of the Asari who were part of your N7 training? Are you certain there is no other reason for you taking Tali with you on every mission?”

Shepard avoided the Doctor’s gaze, her cheeks burning at being outed like this. She’d barely even admitted it to herself, let alone to the actual woman in question. It wasn’t something she ever planned to bring up, knowing there was absolutely no way the Quarian felt the same. From what little she knew about Quarian culture, the even remote possibility that Tali had a hint of the same feelings was dashed by the knowledge that nothing could ever happen. There were so few Quarians left that same-sex relationships were nearly unheard of in their society, considered almost selfish when they did happen. “There may be other… reasons.”

“I thought as much.” Shepard finally looked up at Chakwas, finding a kindly smiling creasing her face, “What? Did you think I was going to tell you off?”

“Frankly, yes.”

The Doctor chuckled, “My only advice Shepard, is to consider every aspect of the situation before doing anything. There could be consequences to this. But I think you’d kick yourself if you did nothing.”

Shepard shook her head, “I’m not going to do anything. I _can’t_ do anything.” It hurt to say that, knowing it was the opposite of what she wanted to do, “This mission is too important to let something like this get in the way.”

“And after?”

The Commander stared at Doctor Chakwas for a few moments, unsure of how to respond, “I… don’t know. I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”

“I’m not going to tell you what to do here Shepard. But I’m always here to talk if you need it.” She glanced down at Shepard’s bandaged leg, “And not just when you’ve re-injured yourself after doing exactly what I explicitly told you not to do. Lucky Garrus didn’t come away with any injuries.”

Shepard laughed, truly appreciating the Doctor’s candour, “Thank you. I may take you up on that.” She put her armour back on in silence, simply nodding to Chakwas as she left. The Doctor sat down at her desk, a smile on her face from having gotten the Commander to at least admit something of her feelings towards the woman currently getting ready for the mission on the deck below. She genuinely hoped Shepard would do something about it. Chakwas suspected Shepard thought Tali didn’t feel the same way, but from what she’d seen, the Quarian definitely did. She just had to wait and see if something happened. With maybe a few nudges and prods along the way perhaps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally going to be the start of the next chapter, but kind of got away from me in terms of length, by only about 900%. So I figured I'd just make it its own chapter. Shorter than other chapters, but too long to just be an introduction to another (in my opinion anyway).
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	9. The Matriarch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suuuuper long chapter again. Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing? Maybe it just says I'm bad at finding appropriate places to split it up.

**Tuesday, 11:50am, 12 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Pax System**

 

Shepard strode out of the medbay, thinking over what the Doctor had said in regards to the Quarian on board the Normandy. She had to stand by what she’d said. Whatever she thought she might feel for Tali couldn’t come in the way of this mission. Unfortunately, the galaxy literally depended on Shepard staying focused. Shepard sighed as she stepped into the empty elevator.

It was always this way with her personal life, the only constant through all of it being her mother. She’d lost count of the number of times she’d been broken up with for seeming to care more about her duty to the Alliance military than her relationship. That wasn’t strictly true, but no amount of words on her part had convinced any of her girlfriends of that. It came with being a career soldier Shepard had surmised. Unless her partner had also been in the military, her relationship was doomed to fail. Even those that had didn’t last long either. The rules against fraternisation were fairly relaxed compared to the past in the Alliance, but it was still frowned upon. Eventually Shepard was promoted beyond her partner and bam, she’d either break up with her to prevent any sort of conflicts or be broken up with for the same reason.

But she felt different around Tali than she had anyone else. It was different, wasn’t it? And yet… she couldn’t pursue it. At least, not until Saren had been brought to justice. And even after, Shepard doubted she’d do anything. There was absolutely no way Tali felt the same. No. She’d keep this inside her mind, lock it away with all the other memories she chose to ignore.

The elevator opened, startling Shepard back into reality. She strode off, making her way straight to her weapons, feeling whole again as they magnetically attached to her back. Shepard glanced to her side, watching her Asari crew member fiddle with a pistol. Her eyes tracked up, finding a nervous expression practically carved into Liara’s features.

Shepard almost made Liara jump out of her skin as she walked over, lifting herself up to sit on the table next to the Asari.

“Oh! Shepard, didn’t see you there.” Liara barely held eye contact for a second, looking back down at her weapon which Shepard now noticed she wasn’t actually doing anything with, just running fingers over the safety and the trigger.

“Ready to go?”

The Asari Doctor nodded emphatically, “Yes. Ready whenever you are, ma’am.” The honorific sounded foreign coming from her. She deflated slightly, her hand slowing on the weapon. Liara had specifically asked to come on the mission to Noveria. If her mother was there like the reports said, there had to be a reason she would consider helping a monster like Saren. Surely, she didn’t actually believe what the Turian was spouting? She’d heard from Shepard what her mother’s follower had said about Saren’s ship, that it warped your mind to Saren’s way of thinking. But Benezia was stronger than that, Liara knew that much. She needed to prove it to herself. That Benezia was not helping Saren because she either believed in what he was doing, or she had truly been taken in by his ship’s influence. Therefore, she was coming to Noveria.

If she was honest, Shepard had been extremely hesitant to bring the Asari with her. She’d been given no signs Liara could handle herself in a fight. She knew she had at least some biotic talent, more than the average Asari at least, but that didn’t necessarily crossover to skill on the battlefield. She’d seen biotics struggle to use their ability in high stress situations, even relatively powerful ones. It had taken much convincing on Liara’s part for Shepard to allow it, finally relenting when she assured the Commander, she wouldn’t be a burden in the coming fights that would inevitably happen.

Shepard gave a small smile, “You don’t sound entirely ready, Doctor.”

Liara straightened up, collapsing the pistol and attaching it to her hips. The armour she’d been lent from the Normandy’s extras felt wrong, though she’d never actually worn armour before to be fair. “I’ll be fine, Commander. I can handle myself.”

“You don’t need to convince me Liara. I just need to be sure you know what we’ll probably be walking into. Geth are no easy targets.”

“I took out a few before I trapped myself. I’m not entirely helpless.” She was slightly indignant at the Commander’s tone. She knew Shepard meant nothing by it, but she was still sick of being the one who seemed to always need saving. She’d been on dangerous digs before and had always been the only one on those who seemed to have no idea what she was doing when something went wrong. She hoped to change that with this mission. She’d watch how Shepard handled herself, as well as Tali and Wrex who were also going, see how she could improve her reactions to potentially deadly situations.

“I know you aren’t.” Shepard frowned, knowing her words had been taken as an insult, if only a small one. Seeing no way to fix it, she simply got back to her feet, “See you up there. Listen out for Joker.” She walked off, getting back into the elevator.

 

* * *

 

**Tuesday, 1:00pm, 12 th of January 2183**

**Port Hanshan, Noveria, Pax System**

 

The door of the Normandy opened, releasing the four people waiting in the airlock. Shepard strode forward, followed by Liara, Tali and Wrex. They found the dock curiously empty, Shepard wondering what awaited them further into the spaceport. She chose not to draw a weapon, figuring the security would just be further in.

They came around the corner and to a small desk, the only semblance of security. Almost immediately, they were set upon by four Humans with weapons drawn and pointed at them. Shepard, Tali and Wrex had filled their hands with shotguns in the blink of an eye, Liara lagging a little bit behind and cursing to herself at her reaction speed.

The lead security officer called out to them, “Drop your weapons!”

Shepard narrowed her eyes, “Yeah, that’s not going to happen.”

“Drop them by order of the Noveria Development Corporation, or we will be forced to open fire!” The shouting was a little too much for the situation. It was clearly evident they had no idea who the Commander or the three aliens with her were.

The Commander rolled her eyes, “Okay, you do that, then I’ll put the four of you down without firing a bullet. Then, drag you to the Council where you can stand trial for firing on a Spectre.”

The four soldiers took a few steps forward, Shepard and her squad standing firm. Shepard’s finger curled around the trigger, prepared to fire at any time. A woman burst through the doors behind Noveria’s security, putting herself in between the two groups. The woman hissed at the four, “Lower your weapons you idiots.” She turned to Shepard, “Commander, I sincerely apologise on behalf of Noveria for this display. We only just got word who you were.”

Shepard waited until the four across from her had put their weapons away before signalling her squad to do the same. “Uh-huh.”

“I’m Gianna Parasini, administrative assistant to Administrator Anoleis.” She looked at Wrex uneasily, the Krogan baring his teeth slightly in response, “May I ask your plans while you are on Noveria, Commander? We don’t get many Council Spectres here or their… companions.”

“Council business.” When she saw Gianna wasn’t going to ask any further questions about that, Shepard continued, “Have you had any unusual visitors come through lately?”

Gianna thought for a moment, seeming to puzzle over the question, “No one particular comes to mind. Oh, we had an Asari Matriarch pass through a few days ago. Matriarch Benezia I believe.”

Liara did her best to not let her reaction show on her face, unable to stop the small intake of breath that came at the mention of her mother. She’d done a good job, the Human not even sparing a glance at the nervous Asari.

Shepard nodded, “Any idea where she went?”

Gianna bristled at the notion of actually telling Shepard anything more than Benezia had actually been there. “She has travelled to the Peak 15 research facility. I’m afraid I can’t reveal any more information than that pertaining to one of Noveria’s most prestigious clients. You understand I’m sure.”

Shepard crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at the woman, seeing the bead of sweat appear on her brow from the Commander’s stare, “And I’m sure you understand the implications of hampering a Council-sanctioned investigation.”

Parasini’s lips curled in a smirk, something Shepard knew all too well. Bureaucrats. “The Council does not have jurisdiction on Noveria, Commander. Nor do their Spectres. In theory, we could have your ship impounded and hold you here indefinitely, and there is very little the Council could do to stop us.”

Shepard did her best to not punch Gianna right then and there. Instead, she marched closer, leaving barely a few inches of space between them. Even with the heels she was wearing, Shepard was still a good few inches taller than the other woman, staring down with unwavering focus, “Try it. See how that works out for you.”

Gianna took a few seconds to process Shepard’s words, locking her eyes with a piercing green gaze before stepping back and thinking better of threatening the Commander again. “You have free run of the Port, of course. I’m afraid you’ll be unable to leave Hanshan without Administrator Anoleis’ approval though.” She didn’t even give Shepard a chance to respond, spinning on her heel and marching out of the dock.

“But-” The frustrating Human didn’t even spare a glance behind her shoulder, around a corner before Shepard could chase after her. She groaned, following the same route and finding Gianna in an elevator which promptly closed, blocking any sort of comeback Shepard had. The squad followed behind, waiting patiently for the only elevator into the port to come back to their level.

Finally, the elevator arrived, the four of them piling in. It was barely big enough for them, Wrex having to hunch over slightly to even fit his bulk. The three women were jammed into one end, the Krogan almost the size of the three of them combined. They stood in silence, the elevator taking them up several floors before finally opening into the port proper.

They stepped out into a sterilised space, everything neat and proper. The small gardens in the middle of the large room were well-manicured, oozing the wealth of the companies that made their homes here on Noveria. There was only one window to the outside, running along near the top of the roof to the side, seemingly only there to let natural light in. Still, the area was drowned by artificial lamps, most likely to keep the plants healthy and keep up the image that Noveria was somewhere you actually _wanted_ to visit… rather than the frozen wasteland companies established facilities on to perform experiments that would be illegal in Council space.

Shepard immediately led them in the direction of the director’s office, brushing past the security outside the front doors. They almost tried to stop the biotic, but thought better of it when they saw the weapons strapped to her back and from a look Wrex gave them. Shepard reminded herself to bring Wrex along to any future conversations where she needed someone to give her anything. Even his smile was unnerving at times.

She found Gianna at her desk just outside the office, striding past the woman without so much as a glance in her direction. The doors beyond opened automatically, Shepard assuming Gianna had opened them for her. Not a particularly good assistant that one it seemed.

“What do you want Gianna, can’t you see I’m very bus-” The Salarian behind the desk on the far wall stopped his train of thought at the sight of four heavily armed individuals marching towards him. The Human in front had the air of command, so that was where he focused his attention. “I don’t believe I have an appointment at this time, Miss…?”

“ _Commander_ Shepard.”

The Salarian had an extremely brief moment of recognition, passing into nothing, barely betrayed on his face, “Ah. Well then, Commander Shepard, if you would kindly vacate my office and see my assistant to schedule a meeting, I’d be more than happy to-”

Shepard slammed her fist down on the table, interrupting Anoleis from any further stalling, “Yeah, I could do that. Or you could help me now, and I’ll be on my way _much_ more quickly.”

He narrowed his eyes at Shepard, annoyance growing on his features, “And what would you be needing help with on Noveria, Commander?”

“I need to get to Peak 15. I understand you can authorise me to leave the Port.”

“I do have that power, yes.” The Director sat back in his chair, folding his hands together in his lap, “But I am not inclined in the slightest to help you. See, I’m well aware of who you are, Miss Shepard.” Shepard’s face creased with irritation at the deliberate omission of her rank, “Spectres have no jurisdiction on Noveria, as I’m sure you’re aware. Our clients value the privacy that Noveria affords them, including from the Council and its enforcers. If I let every person affiliated with the Council that passed through here out onto Noveria proper, we would very quickly lose our business. I’m sure a woman of your standing understands.” He stood from his chair, bringing himself to his full height, ever so slightly taller than Shepard and looked down what passed for a nose on Salarians, “Please remove yourself and your compatriots from my office. I will not ask again.”

Shepard almost protested before a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She turned, surprised to find it was Wrex who was telling her it wasn’t worth it. “Salarians won’t change their minds unless you’re willing to argue with him for a few hours.” His deep gruff voice turned a bit more jovial when he shifted his sight to the Salarian in question, “Removing it from their bodies doesn’t seem to change that either.” Wrex laughed heartily at the visible sight of Anoleis swallowing. “Let’s go before I get tempted.”

Shepard gave one last tense stare at the Salarian before following Wrex’s advice, turning on her heel and marching out of the office. “I really don’t want to have to shoot my way out of here. We don’t need even more heat on the Normandy than Saren and his fucking ship.”

Just as they made it to the exit of the office, a voice rang out, “Commander, a word if you wouldn’t mind.”

Shepard turned, finding it was Gianna who had spoken. She strode back, stopping in front of the desk and crossing her arms, “You’ve already made your position very clear, Miss Parasini. I don’t need to be reminded of it again.”

“Meet me in the bar in 15 minutes.” Gianna said only that before rising from behind her desk and half-running out the door. The Commander didn’t even have a chance to respond before she was gone.

Shepard stared after her, glancing at each of her squad, all of them as confused as she was. “What the fuck was that?”

“I guess we meet her in the bar?” Tali offered with a shrug. Murmurs of agreement passed between the squad, exiting the office themselves and making their way towards the only bar they could see in Port Hanshan.

The bass from inside vibrated the floor as they got closer, the door opened and it was almost deafening. No one spared at a glance at the four heavily armed individuals as they strode in, surprising Shepard immensely. She looked around, finding not a single person beside a guard next to the door with a weapon. The security at the dock were probably meant to have taken their weapons, but she surmised that being a Spectre came with certain privileges. Even if they weren’t on an official Council world.

Shepard led them to a table near the back, sitting down to wait for Gianna. Exactly 15 minutes after she’d said it, the woman in question approached, sitting in the chair next to Shepard.

“Apologies Commander, I had to make sure I wasn’t followed.” Shepard raised an eyebrow; the other woman’s voice had shifted in both pitch and accent. “Allow me to reintroduce myself. Gianna Parasini, Noveria Internal Affairs.” She held out a hand, Shepard cautiously shaking it, intrigued by this turn of events. “I believe we can help each other.”

“And how would you help me, Miss Parasini? The only thing I need is to get out of the Port, and unless you can provide that for me, I very much doubt I’ll be inclined to help you.”

“I can give you that.” Shepard turned in her chair, now much more interested at what the woman had to say, “If you help me first.” The Commander nodded, listening closely now, “I’ve been investigating Director Anoleis for the last six months. We suspect he’s been embezzling money away from the corporation and taking bribes behind our backs. I’m so close to proving it, I just need hard evidence.”

“I know something about getting evidence on corrupt people.” Shepard’s mind drifted back to the frantic day on the Citadel, searching for the evidence to prove Saren’s treasonous ways to the Council, “I hope you’ve got something in mind.”

“I need you to raid the Synthetic Insights office.”

Shepard blinked a few times, her brain trying to process what she’d just heard, “Excuse me?”

Gianna breathed out, realising that Shepard would not be aware of the current state of things on Noveria, “It was recently shut down by the Director pending an investigation into the manager of the branch, Lorik Qui’in, for corruption. He came to us, claiming that he had evidence that Anoleis is taking bribes, and that’s why he shut down the office.”

“So, I’m meant to take some random person’s word on that?”

“His intel is good, Shepard. I wouldn’t be telling you otherwise.” Gianna produced a small keycard, “Here, this will get you in. I can’t guarantee there won’t be any guards in there, but it should only be a few. Anoleis has likely paid them off to ransack the place to delete the evidence Qui’in had. You can use deadly force; I’ll make sure you aren’t charged with anything.”

Shepard narrowed her eyes at the woman. She didn’t like where this was leading. She didn’t need to be responsible for killing innocent people just doing their jobs. What did she care that a huge corporation’s employee was stealing credits? It’s not like they were just scraping to get by. But she saw no other option to solve their dilemma of how to get out of the Port. Shepard took the keycard, holding it aloft in front of Gianna’s face, “Alright, we’ll do it. But, if this goes sideways, I’m coming for you.”

“Understood Commander.” Gianna rose from her seat, giving a curt nod and striding out of the bar. The music had drowned out most of their conversation from even her squad. Gianna had definitely chosen the right place for a meeting of this nature.

Shepard rubbed at her eyes, sighing to herself about the situation she now found herself in. She stood after explaining what had been said to the other three, “Looks like its time for a bit of corporate espionage.”

 

* * *

 

**Tuesday, 2:40pm, 12 th of January 2183**

**Synthetic Insights Office, Noveria, Pax System**

 

As promised, the keycard Gianna had provided opened the elevator to the Synthetic Insights office without any hassle. The office was shrouded in darkness as they walked in, Shepard pausing to allow her eyes to adjust. A relatively simple layout was before them, a front receptionist’s desk, stairs off to the right leading upstairs and a wide-open area at the bottom, desks spaced evenly throughout. The only thing missing was the people. Not another soul was present in the entire space, giving it an almost ghostly look and feel.

Shepard cautiously stepped further inside, pulling her rifle free and turning on the small flashlight. She swept the weapon back and forth slowly, watching for any sign of the guards that Gianna had mentioned may be here. There wasn’t even a single peep from the dark office, nothing her trained hearing could pick up either.

“Wrex, Tali, see what you can find down here. Liara, with me, upstairs.”

The squad split up on Shepard’s orders, the two-biotics hurrying up the stairs. Shepard could hear Liara’s breathing from a mile away in the silent office, obviously not used to stealth missions. Maybe it was something Shepard could help her with at some point. The top floor of the place was devoid of almost any furniture, only a few chairs outside of closed offices. Shepard sighed to herself, knowing that they’d have to search them one by one, and just hope they found what they needed to get out of the port.

The first office proved useless, and after hacking through the computer’s firewall, it contained little more than messages between company employees, and not even any gossip worth laughing at. The second was much the same. They needed to find the manager’s office, but none of the doors were marked. There wasn’t even one that looked larger or fancier than the rest, so Shepard couldn’t rely on that either.

“Commander!” Shepard came from the office she’d been rummaging through, Liara poking her head out of one further down the hall, “I think I’ve found it.”

“Tali, Wrex! Hold tight.” She could see the Quarian and Krogan’s flashlights move over the balcony, taking up positions facing the one entrance into the office. Shepard hurried down the hall, joining Liara. Just as she suspected, there was nothing to distinguish this office from the others. Not even a nameplate on the desk to indicate it. The only clue was blinking on the computer’s screen.

_Welcome, Lorik Qui’in. Please enter your password._

Shepard quickly hooked up her omni-tool to the console, waiting for the hacking program to finish its work. Tali had given her a far more advanced version of the program than even the Spectres had provided her with. When she’d asked where the Quarian had gotten it, she’d only got a shrug and a “Geth are hard to hack through.” Shepard liked to think Tali had designed the program herself, which was entirely possible given what she’d seen the young woman do to a Geth trooper with only her omni-tool.

A high-pitched ping, and it was done. Shepard rapidly searched through the computer’s memory, most of it devoted to running the office itself, with several sections still listed as classified regarding the company’s dealings on Noveria, needing an additional password to get through. Shepard skipped over them, assuming that wouldn’t be exactly what they needed. Plus, this was dangerous enough. She only needed the information to prove Anoleis was corrupt, not get on a company’s shit-list, so going into any more records than what she needed seemed ill-advised.

The search came up short. Nothing on Anoleis besides some old correspondence between Qui’in and the man himself. Shepard brought her fist down on the desk in frustration, cursing under her breath. She straightened up, half-whispering to herself, “If I was damning evidence against my boss, where would I be?” It was at that moment Shepard felt a cold breeze against the back of her neck. She turned around, facing the side wall of the office. It looked completely inconsequential, not even a painting or pinboard to decorate it. Lorik’s office was on the furthest wall of Synthetic Insights. There shouldn’t have been anything further. Where had the breeze come from then?

She brought up her omni-tool, sorting through several screens before landing on the one she wanted. It activated, the wrist mounted tool producing a beam of infrared light. Shepard swept it over the wall, seeing exactly what she wanted. A large section, far cooler than it had any right to be. She closed the tool, took a few steps away till her back was pressed against the opposite wall, and before Liara could properly voice her protests with any clarity…

“Shepard, what’re you-”

She charged forward, using her biotic strength and burst straight through the office wall. She stumbled forward a few more steps into a dark hallway, a small room a few metres ahead. She turned back, smirking at the Asari before continuing forward with her pistol and flashlight. Shepard quickly swept the room, finding no immediate threats. She stowed the weapon, now able to more closely inspect the room.

It was approximately the same size as the office it came off. Shepard assumed there was probably some way to open it that didn’t involve destroying the wall, but she’d have to do with how she’d gotten in. The computer booted up, going straight through without a password. Shepard rolled her eyes at that. Evidently Lorik was so sure this room wouldn’t be found he didn’t even consider it a possibility. _Idiot._

It only took a few minutes for Shepard to find exactly what she needed. Lorik had kept extensive records of everything he had on Anoleis. The Turian’s investigation went back several years, millions of credits disappearing from Noveria’s accounts and almost just as much being accepted as bribes. Anoleis would’ve been set for life months ago. But he had apparently kept going, bringing the ire of Noveria’s internal affairs and Synthetic Insight’s managers. Shepard almost had to laugh at the Salarian’s arrogance. He could’ve been sitting pretty somewhere, but instead he got greedy. Too many criminals did.

“ _Shepard, I think we’ve got company._ ” Wrex’s voice interrupted Shepard’s train of thought, the Commander quickly downloading all the evidence they needed.

Shepard and Liara came back out onto the balcony just as the elevator doors opened. The two biotics quickly hid on the balcony, crouching behind two pot plants.

“Fan out. They’re in here somewhere.” Shepard knew that voice, quickly figuring out that it was the head of security they’d met on the dock. If Anoleis had her on his payroll, who knew how many guards they’d be able to call to assist them in taking down Shepard and her crew. “Commander! We know you’re in here. Surrender now, and we’ll let you leave Noveria without any further consequences. We have the authority to use deadly force if you do not comply.”

Shepard charged up a singularity in her hand, eyeing a guard just rounding the corner at the top of the stairs. She whispered down their comm channel, “Take ‘em out.”

Shepard released her attack, the target suspended and flailing in the air instantly. She charged straight for the top of the stairs, firing a single burst from her assault rifle into the floating body and releasing her control of the singularity. The guard collapsed to the ground, dead. She was on the next guard before they had time to react, bashing their weapon to the ground before tossing the man over the balcony. He landed with a scream and a crunch.

Liara needed to prove she was ready for this sort of mission. Admittedly, she would’ve thought she had a little more time before actually having to do it, but she didn’t dare complain. She watched Shepard charge headlong into danger with seemingly no regard for her own safety. _By the goddess Liara, you’re 106 and nearly four times older than Shepard, get a grip on yourself._ Her thoughts seemed to have far more confidence in her abilities than she did.

The Asari rose from her hiding place, almost overwhelmed by the amount of information the HUD her helmet was spitting out. The small radar showed a guard who had gotten past Shepard. She looked in the direction, just barely seeing a flash of armour before the man was gone. He was hiding just around the corner from her. She gripped her pistol that little bit more tightly, reinforcing her barrier as much as she could without using so much energy, that it would leave her incapable of using her biotics on the offence.

Liara made her way slowly forward, rushing between points of cover as she closed on the target. From what she could tell, the guard hadn’t noticed her, still trying to shoot at Shepard’s back. The Human seemed to have no worry for this enemy, the bullets either deflecting off Shepard’s barrier or simply missing. Liara used this to her advantage, almost completely closing the distance. She hid just around the corner, crouched behind the last bit of cover she could possibly get. The lessons on Asari hand to hand combat that her mother had forced her to attend as a child came to the forefront, Liara concentrating as she tried to remember all that she’d been taught. She breathed in, stealing herself for the next move.

With a spin, Liara surprised the guard, grabbing his wrist and wrenching it down, forcing him to drop his weapon. She squeezed harder, twisting the limb until she heard a pop as his shoulder dislocated. Still holding onto his wrist, she sent a biotically-charged kick to his knee, forcing him to the floor. Liara pressed the pistol to the back of his head. She pulled the trigger, his body going slack. She let go, forcing herself to look away from the small blood spatter on the ground. The guard’s armour had kept most of his head intact, his body covering the blood as it collapsed to the floor. Liara didn’t have time to think on this, pressing on with defending herself from the next opponent.

Tali did what she always did, easily targeting their shields and shutting them down where necessary. She didn’t bother with Wrex’s targets, the Krogan easily capable of overwhelming any defence these guards could possibly put up. Shepard’s and Liara’s were too far away for her to be of much use, so she just focused on her own. She charged up an overload as she saw a guard coming closer to her, waiting till he was nearly on top of her. With a practiced blow, his arms were split apart from his weapon, Tali taking full advantage and slamming her three-fingered palm into his chest. She unleashed the full voltage that her omni-tool was capable of, enhanced by her suit’s own power supply. She could see the surprise in his eyes as the current ran through him and shut down his heart.

Tali rolled back behind a desk as bullets came flying toward her, freeing her shotgun mid-roll. She stuck her arm up, firing two blasts to where she was fairly certain they were. The cry of pain proved her right. The Quarian shifted further along till she was at the edge of the desk, daring to peak out. The guards didn’t notice her looking, fighting on four fronts. All four of the squad were at different angles, forcing the guards back towards the door. She scurried forward, getting a little bit closer.

Wrex laughed as he sprang straight into view of the guards. He counted at least twenty. It wouldn’t be enough. Hell, Shepard and him could take out that many by themselves. A smile came to his face as several of them turned on him, firing directly at the Krogan Battlemaster. His laughter only came louder as they deflected off his barrier, Wrex leaning down and seizing hold of the desk in front of him. He wrenched it off the bolts holding it fast to the ground, tossing it one-handed towards the nearest guard. The Human went down with a yelp of surprise, Wrex already running towards her. He reached down through the splinters of the desk, grabbing her ankle and tossing her towards the next guard. With a blast from his shotgun, both were dead.

Wrex continued his path of death towards the final line of guards, five of them holed up at the entrance to the office. Shepard soon joined him, with Tali and Liara not far behind.

Shepard looked over her shoulder. The Synthetic Insights office was half-destroyed. Most of the desks were in pieces, evidence of Wrex’s exact path through the space where he’d simply used the desks as weapons. Still smoking evidence of Tali’s overloads and incinerates gave the room a slight haze. Shepard was surprised to see the path of bodies Liara had left behind. She’d taken them all out with great efficiency, almost Commando-style. Maybe she’d underestimated the Asari.

The guards were down to one, frightened breathing quivering in his boots just inside the corridor to the elevator. “I suggest you surrender.” Shepard’s voice rang over the silence that stretched out between them. “Anoleis sent you right?” No reply, “Do you really want to die for him? With the evidence we’ve got, he’s not going to be able to protect you. But you let us out, we let you live.”

There was a clatter around the corner and the sound of the elevator door closing. Shepard crept forward, springing around the corner and finding the guard’s weapon on the ground. She breathed out a sigh of relief. Looks like this one was smart. Shepard didn’t want to have to kill him. Too many had already lost their lives in this pointless fight.

The squad loaded back into the elevator, heading back towards the bar.

 

* * *

 

**Tuesday, 3:50pm, 12 th of January 2183**

**Port Hanshan, Noveria, Pax System**

 

Gianna strode into the bar, spying the Commander and her squad at the same table they’d been in little more than an hour ago.

“I trust you were successful Commander? Anoleis was quite desperate to get a detachment of security to the Synthetic Insight offices.”

Shepard held out datapad with all the information. “I think Anoleis may be a bigger problem than you think.”

Gianna poured over the evidence, eyes widening by the second. “Holy shit, this goes back years. Millions upon millions of credits, even before he was director. Thank god Lorik was extremely thorough. He could’ve come forward ages ago and we’d have had enough to remove Anoleis and ruin him forever.” She looked back up at the Commander, a genuine smile on her face, “I can’t thank you enough Commander.”

“You can thank me by getting me out of Hanshan.” Shepard didn’t trust Gianna. She’d asked Tali to hack the datapad the woman now held and wipe it if it seemed like Gianna was just going to run without paying them what they were owed.

“Of course.” Gianna, turned away, waving across the bar. A Turian came over fairly quickly, sitting across from Shepard.

“Lorik Qui’in, at your service.” Shepard shook the Turian’s hand, raising an eyebrow. “I understand I will have you to thank for my new position.”

“Excuse me?” Shepard’s face creased with anger. What was Gianna playing at? This wasn’t part of the deal.

“Nothing untoward Commander, I assure you. When Miss Parasini presents her evidence to her superiors, Anoleis will be removed, and I will take his place. So, I’m in your debt.” He smiled, or at least what passed for a smile on Turians, a positive flutter of the mandibles.

“And what does having you in my debt get me?” Shepard was getting annoyed. If Gianna couldn’t give what she had promised, Noveria Internal Affairs would be walking away empty handed.

The Turian simply raised his arm, sliding a card across the table, “My garage pass. It’ll get you through Hanshan’s security and out into Noveria’s glorious weather.”

Shepard breathed out a sigh of relief, indicating to Tali to stand down. She turned off her omni-tool, a brief flash on the datapad’s screen to indicate she was no longer hacking it. Gianna glanced at Shepard, but chose not to say anything, understanding what she’d done and why she’d done it. Shepard stood with her squad, “Pleasure doing business with you then. We’ll be going.”

“Commander, before you go.” Shepard turned back to look at Gianna, “We’ve had some worrying reports from Peak 15. The entire facility is in lockdown, some sort of containment failure. I’d advise you exercise caution if you’re truly set on going there, it might be difficult to get inside. It’s not there yet, but there’s talk of activating its neutron purge system, wiping the entire facility clean of whatever it is that got out. I’m afraid I don’t have anything more for you than that.”

Shepard nodded her thanks before striding away. They exited the bar without another word. She could just barely hear Lorik and Gianna speak in low voices over the music as they left, luckily nothing to do with her anymore.

 

* * *

 

**Tuesday, 4:30pm, 12 th of January 2183**

**Port Hanshan Garage, Noveria, Pax System**

 

The security had looked at Shepard rather strangely when she’d presented them the garage pass. She could tell they almost refused them entrance, but had thought better of it. Questioning people on Noveria didn’t get you far, usually ending up being reprimanded for asking exactly the wrong question. Port personnel had been fired just for asking if the head of a company was having a nice day.

The Mako had been unloaded from the Normandy after some persuasion on Shepard’s part. She’d refused point blank to take the vehicle they’d been offered, a small transport with absolutely no defensive or offensive capabilities to speak of. She was not going to get blown up by Geth just because they didn’t take the right car.

Just as they began to pile in, Shepard froze, her head whipping around to stare after a noise she’d heard. “Anyone else hear that?” Wrex was already moving to investigate, shotgun at the ready. He barely got a few metres before the firefight began.

A huge container in the corner opened up, Geth troopers pouring out of it. The squad barely had time to prepare, Shepard and Wrex covering them in a barrier in replacement of any cover. Shepard slammed her foot down, a shockwave carving its way through the Geth and dismantling several of them. Wrex fired his shotgun even while charging forward, his shoulder sending several flying. Tali made a few more explode with her omni-tool. Liara did her best, lifting several and leaving them helplessly floating in the air.

Soon, the garage was filled with the scraps of destroyed Geth. Port security chose that moment to enter, just as Shepard lowered her weapon. She whirled on them, bellowing her anger, “Why the fuck are you shipping Geth?!”

Her yelling startled an answer from them, “We’re not!”

“Bullshit! Look around! They came from that container, stamped with your fucking symbol! Tell me where it came from, now.” Her tone left no room for argument.

“Matriarch Benezia came with it, but I swear we scanned it, there weren’t any Geth in it.” The security were terrified, now fully aware of who they were dealing with. Spectres were not known to leave any loose ends. There was likely little their superiors would do if Shepard simply gunned them down right now.

Shepard was not surprised at their admission. Of course, the Matriarch had come with backup, even if it was Geth. She was surprised there hadn’t been Asari waiting for them, but there was still time for that. They would likely face some at Peak 15. She turned back to the Mako without another word, the squad following her into the tank. The Noverian security looked around at the destroyed Geth, sweating at what punishment they’d get for this one.

 

* * *

 

**Tuesday, 4:45pm, 12 th of January 2183**

**Noveria, Pax System**

 

The Mako left the garage behind, trundling along on the icy path. It wind around the mountain to their right, a sheer drop to the left. Shepard kept the tank going slowly, not entirely trusting the Mako’s traction control. Even she wasn’t daring enough to test its true capabilities in this type of weather.

A blizzard made it slow going, blocking their view past about fifty metres. Shepard could feel the cold of the air outside seeping in through the windows, tapping her foot to keep the blood flowing. Even with her helmet closed over her head, she could still feel it. She was semi-glad she hadn’t brought Garrus for this mission like she’d originally planned. Turians were cold-blooded, and although she was fairly certain his armour would have adequate weather protection, it was good not to have to worry about something like hypothermia slowing them down.

The Mako came across a wrecked transport, Shepard stopping the tank and hopping out. The blizzard made it hard to walk, the winds blowing were far more powerful than she’d initially anticipated. As Shepard drew closer, she realised the Geth were responsible. Tell-tale signs of Armature fire on the side was proof enough. She rose back to her feet, squinting out into the snow-filled air. She saw no sign of the Geth who’d destroyed it, not even the blue lights that would surely give away the synthetic’s position even through this snow.

They drove on further, coming to a short tunnel in the ice. The moment the nose of the Mako poked around the entrance, bullets began to fly out to strike it. Instead of reversing, Shepard accelerated, drifting inside. She fired the main gun as soon as she could, blasting apart the Geth encampment further in. Rocket troopers further back fired as well, Shepard expertly dodging out of the way. She swore the Geth almost looked panicked as the Mako barrelled towards them, trying to leap out of the way of their impending doom. Shepard smiled to herself, ramming the synthetics and listening to the Mako’s wheels crush them into deactivation.

The tunnel soon ended, more Geth accosting them almost immediately. The road they were on swung out to the right before doing a complete 180 degree turn around the ravine to their left. An Armature on the other side had already fired on them, Shepard having to manoeuvre the Mako at a significantly higher speed than she thought was safe. The ice quickly agreed with her, as she could feel the wheels start to slip as they sped over it. While Shepard focused on not killing them with her driving, Tali fired the main gun, blasting through the Armature’s shields after a few shots. The Quarian missed several times, the bumpy road and blizzard doing little to help her accuracy.

Shepard did her best to take out any Geth on the way by simply running them over. Sniper’s further up in hills were taken out by Tali, the engineer sincerely hoping she wasn’t going to cause an avalanche with the blasts. The Armature was still firing on them from its position, forcing Shepard to drive even more erratically than she already was. The Mako swerved around the final corner, heading straight at the huge Geth. Shepard put her foot to the floor, narrowly dodging a blast that scraped the top of the Mako as it went flying past.

The Mako slammed into the Geth at max speed, taking its legs out from under it. Thanks to Tali’s shooting, the synthetic hadn’t even had a shield to protect itself whatsoever from the impact, its legs crumpling into useless pieces of metal. Shepard haphazardly spun the Mako around, allowing Tali to fire into the flailing mass, detonating the Geth’s power core. The Armature exploded into a fiery ball, raining down pieces of itself tens of metres around its main mass. Shepard continued the Mako’s forward trajectory, managing to whirl it back around to the correct direction and continue on their way towards Peak 15.

Shepard glanced into the backseat; Wrex was calmly inspecting his shotgun, peering closely at a scuff before licking his thumb and attempting to wipe it away. Liara, was a different story altogether. She was gripping the middle armrest so hard it was creaking, her other hand gripping the Mako’s door for dear life. Her chest rose and fell with frightened breaths, eyes wide as Shepard continued to drive.

“Didn’t believe me about Shepard’s driving I take it, Liara?” Tali’s voice was half concern and half amused. She and Wrex were at least somewhat used to Shepard’s driving by now, but the Doctor had only experienced it very briefly on Therum, and that was just on the way back to the Normandy, not in live combat. Combined with the unique hazards that Noveria presented and it made for an almost traumatising experience.

“I do now.” She tried to slow her breathing, only succeeding after a minute, “Is it possible that you could not try to kill us while driving, Shepard?”

The Human scoffed, “You too? Why is it everyone hates my driving? I’m just driving efficiently.”

Tali fired back, “There’s a big difference between efficient and downright suicidal, Shepard.” Shepard tensed up slightly at her words. It wasn’t the content, but how she’d said it. That was the second time the Quarian had called her Shepard instead of Eliza. How had Tali known that it would make Shepard uncomfortable to call her by her first name in front of anyone else? Apparently, she could read Shepard at least a little bit better than Shepard thought. That was comforting in its own way. It had taken a surprising amount of thinking before even asking Tali to call her by her first name, and she was glad it wasn’t being taken lightly. Tali had obviously sensed what it meant to Shepard to ask her.

Wrex laughed, evidently now having seen Shepard’s reaction, “Oh come on, at least Shepard keeps it interesting. You two probably drive like Elcor.”

“I didn’t know Elcor drove.” Tali was slightly sceptical.

“Believe me, they do. And it’ll drive you up the fucking wall.” Wrex chuckled to himself as silence fell back over the four of them.

The rest of the drive was uneventful, Shepard following the path towards their destination at a slower rate for Liara’s sake. Soon, the facility came into view around a corner, a huge tower stretching into the sky. The blizzard obscured the top of it from them, Shepard wondering how big this place was. Hopefully finding Benezia wouldn’t be too difficult.

She was worried about what Gianna had said about a containment failure though. What was the facility holding/studying that could possibly require a neutron purge of its interior? In fact, why did the facility have that sort of defence at all? It was usually reserved for laboratories studying potentially catastrophic diseases or lifeforms. The labs on Noveria were getting all the more interesting and sounding more illegal the more she learned. Though, the Council wouldn’t do anything, considering this planet wasn’t even technically under their control.

Shepard slowed the Mako to a crawl as they got onto the final stretch of their drive. She stopped, much to the other three’s confusion. “Stay here.” The Commander got out of the tank, pulling her sniper free. She stood tall next to the Mako, aiming for the facility’s entrance some 100 metres ahead. There was a flash of blue and she dropped to her stomach, just as a bullet whizzed through where her head had been. Shepard rolled under the Mako, awkwardly bringing her sniper rifle into a firing position. “Knew it.” She sighted down once more, eyeing exactly where the bullet had come from. Through the blizzard, she could just make out the reflection of a Geth’s lamp on the wall. It was hiding behind a small barricade at Peak 15’s entrance.

Shepard breathed in and out evenly, folding her helmet back down into the neck armour. She brushed her hair out of her face, feeling the freezing wind on her cheek. Her heart rate slowed and all movement of her arms stopped as she waited for the perfect opportunity.

She pulled the trigger the moment the Geth popped back up. She watched with satisfaction as its head blew up into metallic pieces, its body staying upright for a few tenths of a second before falling backwards into the snow. Shepard pushed the button, her helmet folding back out and the sniper collapsing back into its resting position. She got back into the Mako, started the engine and resumed the rest of their short journey.

None of the other three even questioned how Shepard had known there was a Geth just waiting to fire on them. Even after this short time knowing her, they were all just accepting that Shepard had near perfect intuition on when and where an enemy would be. Even Wrex, with his literal centuries of combat experience, deferred to Shepard’s skill in this regard.

The Mako parked securely as close to the facility as Shepard could get, they all filed out and crept into Peak 15, weapons at the ready.

The first room they came into was a long garage, definitely big enough to fit the Mako. Shepard had a quick look around, no obvious means of opening the large door that would allow the tank to drive in. Only the small side door they’d come in through gave any entrance at all into the facility. Shepard was fairly certain that the Geth must have kept it open for their sniper to stand guard and retreat if necessary. _Lucky for us_.

The room was dark, every light along the ceiling either switched off or shattered. Only emergency lighting was working, giving the room a dim ambience. Shepard was only able to take a few more steps into the room before all hell broke loose.

Geth entered from the far side, instantly beginning their assault on the group. Shepard and Wrex dove behind a large crate, big enough to hide even the Krogan Battlemaster’s bulk. Liara tackled Tali without thinking, behind a barricade designed to stop unwanted vehicles entering the garage. “Thanks.” The Quarian got to work as soon as she was able, genuinely glad Liara had acted so quickly.

“SAREN WILL PAY US BIG FOR THIS ONE BOYS!” A Krogan voice rang out from the other side of the room, Shepard just able to peer out and watch as four Krogan entered the room, two joining the Geth in their assault while the other two ascended the stairs to the catwalk above. She quickly scanned the catwalk, realising it came directly over their position. If the Krogan managed to get there, they’d be done for, no matter how skilled they were.

Shepard tossed grenade over the crate, pausing the Geth’s assault for a moment. “Wrex, I’ve got a really stupid idea.”

The Krogan chuckled between shotgun blasts around the edge of their cover, “Shepard, all your ideas are stupid. And they always work, so lay it on me.”

“Throw me up there.” She simply pointed up at the catwalk.

Wrex’s grin only grew wider. “I’m gonna make you an honourary Krogan at this rate.” He turned to yell across the room, “Tali, Liara! Cover us!” The Quarian and Asari nodded back, laying down covering fire as best they could.

Shepard took a few steps back behind their cover, Wrex stopping his assault for a moment and crouching down with fingers laced together. She charged up her biotics, sprinting forward and planting a foot hard into Wrex’s hands. He threw her straight up, Shepard putting all the force she could through her leg muscles. The Human ended up flying over the catwalk’s handrail, flipping in the air and landing with a roll.

Mid-somersault, she freed her shotgun, firing into the gut of the approaching and appropriately-surprised Krogan. The alien stumbled back into the other, the blast only just penetrating his shields and giving him a minor wound. Shepard continued on her path, springing to her feet and sprinting at the two shocked Krogan. Within a metre of them, Shepard unleashed a biotic-charge, slamming her full might into the already injured Krogan. He came off his feet, flying backwards before crashing into a metal handrail, bending it under his bulk and falling over the edge. Shepard heard the crack as he flipped in the air and landed directly on his head, breaking his neck in short fashion. His body slumped to the ground and stopped moving.

Shepard’s second target had only been pushed backwards on the catwalk, already regaining his feet and running at the biotic at full speed. Shepard didn’t have time to react, all of the air being driven out of her lungs as she was tackled to the ground, the full weight of the Krogan landing on top of her. He wrestled with her for the shotgun, Shepard pulling the trigger as she tried to force it to face him. The biotic’s entire body was glowing as she battled with the alien pinning her down for supremacy.

The Krogan released one hand, rearing back and sending a punch straight at Shepard’s head. The Commander moved at the last second, the punch denting the metal where her head had just been. Shepard used the momentary lack of balance to her advantage, freeing one of her arms and landing a savage blow to the Krogan’s side. He was taken by surprise, rolling away at the force of the blow. Shepard was back on her feet in seconds, pointing her weapon at his face. She pulled the trigger, bits of brain and flesh spattering backwards. His body slumped forward, a new hole in his forehead plate slowly dripping blood onto the metal of the catwalk. Shepard only watched for a second before getting herself back into the fight still going on below her.

Wrex had brought his shotgun straight back into use the moment he’d thrown Shepard. He’d come straight out of cover, holding the huge weapon in one hand while the other wrenched a Geth toward him with his biotics. The synthetic flailed in mid-air until there was a huge hole in its chest, Wrex simply batting it out of the way when it got close enough. Some of the synthetics in the fight turned their attention on the foe that wasn’t even bothering to defend itself. Wrex’s barrier flashed up blue in front of him as he laughed, running towards his foe.

Suddenly, the Krogan was staggered slightly, only just getting a stronger barrier up in time before the attack hit him. A Geth Destroyer had fired its huge weapon at him, Wrex being sent back a step by the force of it. He grinned, refocusing and breaking into a run. The Geth fired again, Wrex prepared this time, sidestepping the blast and losing none of the speed he’d built up. He ignored the other synthetics attacking him, finally surrounding himself in dark energy.

The cackling Krogan slammed into the Geth, taking it from its feet. Just as it prepared to get back up, Wrex was upon it, firing a shotgun shell into its abdominal region before dropping his weapon, seizing hold of the synthetic, one hand around its neck, the other its thigh. Wrex roared, lifting the Geth over his head, pulling in opposite directions. With a whine of tearing metal and wires, the huge synthetic split into two pieces under the Krogan’s might, showering him with sparks and lubricant. Wrex turned on the nearest Geth with a grin, charging at it in less than a second, beating the robot into the ground with the halves of its own compatriot. He continued using the Geth as a melee weapon before finally all he was holding was its head and only part of its leg. Wrex tossed them aside, retrieving his shotgun and getting back into the fight.

Tali and Liara worked together, taking down any Geth who came near them. Combining their biotic and tech powers was proving incredibly effective, none of the synthetics able to even get near their position in any meaningful way. Liara wrenched a Geth forward with her biotics, forcing the enemy to slide around their cover right next to the Quarian. Tali simply shoved her hand down, the already-primed overload forcing the Geth into deactivation.

Tali threw an incinerate at a Geth trooper, Liara watching, an idea popping into the Asari’s head. She lifted the near-exploding enemy and threw it into another across the room, the first detonating when it hit. They repeated their combined attacks several times, only leaving a single Krogan across the room from them. The alien seemed to realise his predicament, firing more and more desperately as the two women closed in on him.

Liara could feel her heart pounding in her chest, terrified but at the same time, exhilarated. This was unlike anything she’d done before and it was amazing. Terrifying her beyond what she thought possible, but still. She was quickly adapting to using her biotics in combat, watching Shepard and Wrex use theirs to such great effect had given her the courage to act with them without really thinking.

Quarian and Asari attacked at the same time, Liara tossing a singularity while Tali threw an incinerate. The Krogan was suspended helplessly in the air when the flaming explosion hit him, melting some of his armour. Both attackers fired their weapons, tossing him to the floor with a yelp. Tali tossed one overload and just as it hit, Liara lifted him before slamming him into a wall.

The room was quiet, the fighting stopped. All four of the squad lowered their weapons, none injured save for a few scratches on their armour. Shepard shook her hand free of where she’d punched straight through a Geth and begun to use it as a shield. She looked around, making sure none of their foes had survived the fight. Satisfied they hadn’t, see moved forward, “Alright, move out.”

“Reckon you can throw me Shepard?” Wrex grinned as the Commander looked back at him, “Cause I’ve got some ideas you’re gonna love.”

“We can definitely try. Nothing like a Krogan missile.”

“HA! Truer words have never been spoken.”

The conversation was abruptly interrupted by a synthetic voice, causing them all to jump and shoulder their weapons. “ _Attention. This facility has entered lockdown for your safety. Heavy damage has been sustained to key systems. Power has been shutdown to prevent any further release of subjects. Please proceed to the nearest exit as soon as possible_.”

Shepard waited for a few seconds, hoping they’d hear more. “Well, that sounds foreboding.” She continued on straightaway, “And toward the danger we go.”

The squad exited the same way the Geth and Krogan had come through, coming into a short corridor. It opened into a room with several benches, a little worse for wear, and an elevator on the far side. Scorched walls and what could only be described as claw marks marred the room, setting off Shepard’s alarm bells. There was definitely something loose in the facility. They just had to figure out what.

Tali unlocked the elevator from afar, the four of them waiting for it to open. Shepard was not taking any chances, half-expecting there to be some freakish enemy when the doors finally dinged open. She breathed a sigh of relief when it appeared empty, the four of them piling in, ascending through the levels of Peak 15. The elevator opened to a room similar to the one they’d come in through, this one decorated with the corpses of what must have been several of Binary Helix’s staff. The men had been torn open, some of their organs painting the floor. The cold of the facility prevented decay, so Shepard wasn’t entirely certain when they’d died.

Moving past the gruesome scene, they found themselves in a short-darkened hallway. A turret on each side of the corridor was no surprise. “They’re facing the wrong way.” Tali’s voice came out quiet, piercing the silence that had settled over them.

“Not if they were trying to keep something in instead of out.” Shepard’s morbid suggestion sent a shiver down all their spines, trying to imagine what may have gotten free that could possibly require military grade turrets to stop them.

The door at the end of the hall opened, instantly battering them with a flurry of ice and snow. Shepard could barely hear over the blizzard that was tearing its way through the next room. She wasn’t entirely sure how far they’d ascended through the facility; the elevator had only had one option for them aside from the level of the entrance. The blizzard was far more serious at this altitude, obscuring their vision even further and the volume was making it hard to hear. Shepard managed to make out the windows, completely shattered but strangely, no glass on the inside. They’d been broken from the inside it seemed. The blizzard hadn’t done this.

A screech caught their attention, all four turning at the sound that had broken through the roaring of the blizzard. At first, it wasn’t clear what had even made the sound. Then there was the skittering of many sharp legs before the creature came into view. A gigantic insect, roughly the size of Shepard’s boot. She didn’t take any chances, shooting it before it could come any closer. It exploded, showering its surroundings with its blood. The snow began to sizzle, melting under whatever chemical was in the blood.

Skittering filled their ears, more than ten of the insects pouring from the other side of the room. All four of them laid down gunfire, sweeping assault rifles back and forth. The insects exploded one by one, filling the room with an acrid smelling haze. They must have had some sort of acid in their blood, all the more reason to prevent them from getting any closer. Shepard looked back at her squad, just now noticing Wrex narrowing his eyes at where the creatures had just been. Before she had a chance to ask him, she was knocked from her feet.

The snow underneath Shepard exploded upwards, propelling her up and backwards. A huge form came out from underneath, the grate that had been underneath the snow flying away to clang against a wall. The huge enemy was on top of Shepard in an instant, the biotic barely having time to raise her hands in defence. All she could see was a huge mouth, teeth spread out in a circle and huge mandibles trying to bite her face off. She slammed her forearms just below the mouth, barely able to hold it back even with her biotically enhanced strength. Her gun had been knocked from her hands, far out of her reach. She could feel two strong limbs pinning her shoulders to the ground.

Wrex reacted before Tali or Liara could even think. He grabbed the creature by the back, wrenching it away from Shepard and tossing it across the room. It landed with a thud, the sound of its spindly legs breaking filling the air even above the blizzard. Wrex roared his battle cry, firing his assault rifle into the creature for all he was worth. The bullets seemed to only slow it, getting back to its feet and charging back at its new target. Wrex was ready, swapping to his shotgun and meeting it in the middle. He shoved the weapon and his arm down its throat, all the way until his elbow armour was begin gnawed on by the ravenous creature. He pulled the trigger as fast as he could, shredding the creature’s insides with pellets.

Finally, the creature collapsed into a heap, Wrex wrenching his arm from its gullet. He shook off the blood before it could cause damage, wiping off the worst of it. He walked back as Shepard was just sitting up, offering a hand which she gladly took. She stared at the corpse of the thing, never having seen anything like it. It was huge, far larger than any insect she’d ever even heard of.

“Anyone got an idea as to what the hell that thing is?”

Wrex answered instantly, his eyes both haunted and filled with rage, “Rachni.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Shepard couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The Rachni were extinct, the Krogan had wiped them out more than a thousand years ago. “How could that be a Rachni?”

Wrex ground his teeth together, “I have no idea. But make no mistake, that fucking thing was a Rachni. And by the looks of it, it won’t be the last.”

As if to prove his point, another one of the huge insects burst from the ground on the far side of the room. They finally all had a chance to look at the Rachni. It hissed at them, two long tentacles sprouting from its sides pointing at them. Its two front limbs ended in three-fingered hands; the four legs much thicker than Shepard had originally thought. It charged at them, heading straight for Shepard. All four of the squad laid into it, bullets penetrating its thick exoskeleton and splashing its blood all over the surrounding snow. It nearly got to them, finally collapsing with a death streak barely a metre from Shepard herself.

They were all breathing hard, Shepard marching to the corpse and shooting it once more in the head for good measure. “Stay alert. We can’t have any of them sneaking up on us while we’re here.”

Shepard was proved right as they progressed further into Peak 15, leaving the room with the smashed windows behind. Two more of the huge Rachni and dozens of the small ones swarmed them through the halls, Liara barely escaping an injury when one erupted from the grates behind them, if Wrex hadn’t caught the tentacle appendage and ripped it from the Rachni’s body before it could connect. Wrex proved particularly effective at dispatching the insects, almost seeming to relish facing the new enemy. Although, Wrex liked any sort of activity that involved violence, and this was no exception.

Shepard led them into the last room, firing at the Rachni that had burst through in front of them, Wrex coming up the back and blasting apart the ones behind them. Shepard picked it up with biotics, tossing it back and forth till it stopped moving, giving it one last slam into the ground. Finally, the last dying screeches stopped, leaving them in blessed silence once more.

They quickly moved into the elevator at the end of the room, all fully prepared for another Rachni to come out of nowhere. They all slumped in relief as the doors closed, feeling the elevator move off to their next destination. Shepard had chosen to take them straight to the VI core that ran Peak 15. If they could get that back up and running, hopefully they’d be able to just ask it where Matriarch Benezia was and cut the mission short.

 

* * *

 

**Tuesday, 6:50pm, 12 th of January 2183**

**Peak 15 VI Core, Noveria, Pax System**

 

The elevator door opened, the squad cautiously edging out of the elevator. They were being very careful, knowing that a Rachni could pop out of the floor at any moment. Shepard swept back and forth with her rifle as she strode further in, coming to a junction, keeping her forward path without losing any momentum. This was the one leading to the VI’s core, so she knew it was the one to take.

Surprisingly, they ran into no more Rachni the whole way to the core, not even a hint of a sound of the insectoid race. Shepard thought this was odd, not letting her guard down for even a moment just in case her ears were wrong. The core itself proved to have no power coming to it whatsoever, every light that should have indicated its functionality off. Shepard moved into the small space in the middle of the core, experimentally flipped a few switches, getting no response.

“What are you doing?” Tali’s amused tone brought a smile to Shepard’s face.

“Trying to get it turn on.”

The Quarian laughed, “Not like that you’re not, let me look at it.”

Tali slid past Shepard, both of them in the small space, almost pressed together. It only took Tali a few seconds to figure out the problem, flipping several switches in rapid sequence until there was a hum as some of the VI’s systems came back online. Tali straightened back up, pleased with herself. A deep rumbling echoed in the space, the floor beneath Shepard and Tali suddenly beginning to descend. They looked at each other, both confused at this turn of events. Wrex and Liara leant over the space from outside once it had stopped, the Krogan chuckling at their predicament.

“Need a hand up ladies?”

Shepard almost began to replay before Tali interrupted them, “Wait. I think this is what we need.” She squatted down on the floor, connecting her omni-tool to the VI. Shepard watched as she expertly manipulated the minimal power supply that was even flowing through Peak 15, redirecting just enough to fully bring the VI back online. The second she entered the last command, every light turned back on, the hum becoming much louder. The small elevator rose back up, bringing the two of them back to the same level as Wrex and Liara.

Tali and Shepard stepped back as a female hologram flickered to life in front of them, taking a few seconds to fully actualise itself.

“ _Greetings. I am Mira, VI controller for Peak 15. How may I be of assistance?_ ”

“Can you tell me what happened here?” Shepard wanted to see what she could get out of the VI about the Rachni.

“ _Three days ago, there was a containment breach in the Hot Labs. A Code Omega shutdown was enacted to prevent any further breaches. My landline access has been severed, so I am unable to provide any further data about the current state of the Hot Labs._ ” The VI paused, the hologram flickering slightly, “ _New information also indicates there has also been a leak in the Helium-3 rector at this site. If not dealt with in a timely fashion, the reactor may enter meltdown, and a catastrophic event may occur._ ”

“What caused the containment breach?”

“ _I am unable to provide that information at this time. My logs of the event have been wiped, in accordance with the Code Omega shutdown. Binary Helix’s policies require this of all VI personnel in the event of a Code Omega._ ”

“Fuck.” Shepard’s one-word statement summed up her feelings nicely. “How do I get to the Hot Labs?”

“ _All access to Rift Station and the Hot Labs has been cut off in accordance with the Code Omega shutdown_.”

“Okay, how do I lift the shutdown?”

“ _Reconnecting the landlines and repairing the reactor leak will downgrade the shutdown, restoring power and allowing full access to Rift Station and the Hot Labs for authorised personnel._ ”

Shepard groaned, “Ugh, fine. Guess we’re solving these problems too.” The Commander walked off, grumbling to herself about always having to fix everyone’s problems.

They followed the signs towards the Helium-3 reactor, carefully listening out for any more Rachni. As they got closer, they heard the distinctive sound of a different enemy. The Geth. Shepard could hear them just on the other side of the door leading to the reactor itself, giving hand signals to the other three. She crouched down in the middle of the doorway, Wrex on one side of her, Tali on the other. Liara stood near the door’s controls, a singularity primed in one hand, the other on the button.

The Asari opened the door, Shepard, Wrex and Tali opening fire immediately. Liara tossed her singularity blindly, managing to catch up a trooper which careened into another, putting them both out of the fight. The three-shotgun wielding of the squad marched in as one, driving the Geth forces back. Shepard slammed her foot down, toppling three Geth over with her biotics, quickly disabled by Wrex. Tali overloaded several, advancing far enough to shoot one through the chest at point blank range.

The fighting stopped, all Geth they could see disabled. Shepard stalked further into the reactor’s room, making her way towards the controls on the far side. Tali joined her as she arrived, both eyeing the output screens for the reactor itself. Tali’s eyes widened at what she saw, “None of the safety measures are engaged. It’s almost like someone wanted the rest of Peak 15 cut off.”

“Benezia. It has to be right? Prevent anyone from following her by literally making it impossible to.” Shepard’s suggestion was the only one that even made any sense.

Liara came up behind them, “It’s something my mother would do. She was never one to leave out any possibility of threats to her plans, however unlikely.”

Tali quickly turned all the safety features on, Mira’s voice echoing above them, “ _Reactor functionality restored. This facility still remains under Code Omega lockdown._ ”

With the synthetic voice came bullets flying over their heads. The four of them dived to the ground, Shepard only just able to see more Geth coming in from the entrance to the reactor. “Oh, come on! Can’t they just leave us alone for five minutes?!” She popped up over the railing, taking out a Geth with a precise shot to the lamp at the top of its head, “I mean really, where’s their common decency?”

“Asking a synthetic-” Tali interrupted her own sentence as she incinerated a Geth from afar, “-about common decency is a bit redundant.”

Shepard shot the last Geth, nodding to Tali, “Got me there.” She looked around, making sure none had survived and that the reactor was still intact. “We better get moving, no telling how many more Geth there are.”

They moved out of the reactor, heading for the landline connection. “My mother probably sent them after us.” Shepard raised an eyebrow at Liara, “The Geth I mean. She knows we’re here, I’m sure of it. If not precisely us, then definitely someone contrary to her plans. Benezia has never taken any threats to her plans lightly.”

“She’s gonna have to try a bit harder than that.”

Liara was concerned at Shepard’s cocky attitude towards her mother’s efforts. Benezia would not hesitate to use any means at her disposable to stop them, if that was what her goals required. She had no doubt she’d kill Shepard, Tali or Wrex if she deemed it necessary. Whether she’d kill her own daughter… Liara wasn’t entirely certain. She had not seen Benezia in years, and even when she had, their relationship had not been exactly warm and loving. Benezia was a hard person to get close to, even if you were tied to her like Liara. Even their blood connection hadn’t made their relationship any closer once Liara had grown up. She was well aware of her mother’s disdain for her chosen career path, and that most likely still held true at least in some regard. The fact that she was here with Shepard specifically to stop her was not going to make this any more pleasant either.

An elevator led them to the roof, a short icy corridor greeting them as the door opened. The walls and floor were slick with snow, frozen patches of ice clinging to the walls. The moment the outside was exposed, the blizzard made itself known, sweeping into the short hall with a vengeance. Shepard was buffeted back slightly before righting herself and continuing on outside. Why the landlines to Peak 15 had to be completely exposed to the weather was completely beyond her.

The dark of night had begun to fall on Noveria, making it almost impossible to see combined with the raging blizzard. All four switched on their flashlights, barely making a difference in their capability to see. Even with Quarian’s ability to see into the ultraviolet spectrum, Tali commented she was finding it difficult to see in these conditions as well. They trudged out further into the dark, roughly guided by markings on the ground leading them to the right place.

All four froze on the spot at a sound. Skittering legs from behind them. They turned, flashlights pointing forward and just allowing them to see the enemy. Rachni. More than they’d previously faced. Dozens of the smaller ones as well as at least ten of the much larger ones. “GET BACK!” Shepard’s command was obeyed, firing into the Rachni, trying to buy time for them all to get into cover.

The Commander lifted one of the smaller ones, catapulting it at one of the larger. It exploded on impact, showering the Rachni in the acidic blood of its species. Shepard noticed that even the Rachni themselves were not immune to the effect, burning the thing’s carapace, even if only slightly. She tossed a grenade into the middle of the pack before getting behind cover herself, the explosion disorienting the Rachni just enough so they lost track of her.

Tali felt less useful against the Rachni then she did against other foes. With no tech to speak of, much of her arsenal was useless, no shields to hack or CPUs to fry. Her shotgun became the primary weapon, even overloads from her omni-tool having little effect against the insectoid race. When she could charge up an incinerate, they were effective, but only really as a primer for either Wrex or Shepard to take them down. If she was more accurate with her pistol, maybe she could take out a few of the smaller ones with that. But as it were, they’d have to be very close and risk getting the acidic blood on her enviro-suit, a far more dangerous prospect than she was prepared to deal with.

Liara was still doing her best to prove herself, throwing out singularities where she could and throwing the Rachni away from the rest of the squad with her biotics. She fired her pistol as accurately as she could, knowing she would probably get better results with the assault rifle on her back, but couldn’t do it. She found the larger weapon quite restricting when it came to combining weapons fire with her biotic ability. No, better to play to her strengths than risk being less effective in combat.

Wrex only stayed in cover for a minute, soon getting tired of waiting for their enemy to get closer. “Oh, fuck this.” He shrouded his body in biotic energy, “I AM KROGAN!” And charged. His shoulder slammed into a large Rachni, forcing it off its feet for long enough to allow Wrex to plant his shotgun directly against where he knew its heart was. He payed no attention to the acidic blood as it spattered his armour, bringing about a slight haze around him with the fumes it was putting off as its ate away at the protection. Wrex crushed the smaller Rachni beneath his feet, spinning in time to fire his shotgun or land a biotically-charged punch at the bigger ones.

Shepard stood at the back, having stowed her weapons and using her prodigious biotic ability exclusively. Any of the Rachni that managed to get past Wrex were dealt with in short order. Shepard watched with satisfaction as Liara used her pistol and biotics in tandem, tossing the enemy away where she could or simply shooting them with her pistol. The Asari was more accurate than Shepard was expecting, still missing every few shots, but hitting enough of her targets for the Commander to be impressed. Tali was almost exclusively relying on her shotgun Shepard noticed. She knew the reason, many of the Quarian’s tech skills were not particularly effective against the Rachni. Switching to her weapon had been an excellent move on the young woman’s part. And Wrex was… Wrex. Shepard had yet to see the Krogan actually look like he needed help against an enemy, no matter how outnumbered he may have been.

A Rachni solider got through all of the other three, heading straight for Shepard’s position. She grinned underneath her helmet, ready for the fight. Shepard rushed to meet it head on, dodging around the thrust of its tentacles. She brought her fist to the side of its head, staggering the Rachni back a few steps. The insect recovered almost instantly, striking out with both tentacles again. Shepard ducked under them again, reaching up and grabbing the two appendages before they could be withdrawn. She ripped down, pulling the Rachni’s head before snapping it back up with a massive uppercut. It staggered back, Shepard rushing forward and pummelling its head with lightning fast blows that it couldn’t keep up with. Tali looked over, barely able to see Shepard’s movements as she drove the Rachni past her position. With one last blow, Shepard swung her arm up, piercing straight through the insect’s carapace and squeezed her hand shut, holding on tight within the Rachni. It let out a deafening screech, Shepard yelling an equally loud bellow and ripping out whatever bit she was gripping. The Rachni collapsed to the ground, Shepard tossing the organ she was fairly certain was its heart.

Shepard looked up, breathing hard, the rooftop silent except for the blizzard once more. She looked down at her right hand, covered in the Rachni’s blood. She shook it out, quick to get the offending liquid off before it did any permanent damage to her armour. Satisfied that her protective outer layer would be fine, she scanned around in the darkness for their goal. “Anyone see how to fix it?” Wrex simply walked back to stand by the elevator, well aware his skills did not lie in the repair of electrical systems. Tali and Liara assisted Shepard, searching the rooftop methodically for the broken landline.

“Found it!” Liara’s voice rang out through the blizzard, Tali and Shepard closing in on her position.

“Hold the lights up so I can see.” Tali instantly took command of the situation, ordering the other two women. Shepard smiled at herself. When they were alone, Tali varied from stuttering out entire sentences to dangerously confident, something Shepard could immediately sense the Quarian was not normally and was forcing herself to be. But here and in the engine room of the Normandy, where she knew for a fact that she was the smartest person in the room, Tali took control. Her confidence did not even come close to arrogance, Shepard aware that it was well earned and had seen many examples of the Quarian’s skill in the a short time they’d known each other.

Tali worked at a feverish pace, manufacturing tools on the fly with her omni-tool. The landlines were a ruin, requiring far more than a simple switch flip to get them back up and running. From what Shepard could tell, the landlines had not only been shut down, they’d also been deliberately severed beyond what Binary Helix’s policies on their ‘Code Omega shutdowns’ would require. Benezia really didn’t want anyone following her through the facility. The entirety of Peak 15 had been sabotaged to prevent just that.

After several minutes of skilful work, Tali stood as the landline emitted a gentle hum into the air. There were audible sounds coming from Peak 15 even through the blizzard, a sign that all power had been restored to it. Mira’s voice boomed over the speakers on the rooftop, “ _Landline connection to Rift Station has been restored. Code Omega has been lifted. Binary Helix reminds all employees that this facility is still under lockdown to all those without sufficient security clearance. If you are without the required security clearance, please make your way to the exits_.”

“Can we get out of the cold now?” Shepard’s voice came out through slightly chattering teeth. She personally preferred the cold to being under a sweltering sun, but even she had limits. And Noveria in the middle of the night wasn’t pleasant for anyone. Shepard didn’t wait for an answer, marching over to Wrex and heading inside without another word. She was glad they were out of the blizzard and into the relative warmth of the facility.

The path back to Mira’s console only had two Rachni to deal with, the noise of all of Peak 15’s systems being functional once more drawing their attention. Wrex happily dealt with the insects himself, the frown on his face practically etched in. It seemed almost personal for the Krogan, though Shepard knew Wrex wasn’t nearly old enough to have actually fought in the Rachni wars. It was probably just how many of his people had died to defeat the enemy that no one else could. And now, here they were, seemingly alive and well. It would’ve made any Krogan mad she assumed.

Mira’s hologram flickered to life as they returned, “ _Code Omega shutdown has been lifted. Access to Rift Station for authorised personnel is now permitted._ ” It scanned Shepard, “ _Commander Shepard, Spectre. You have authorisation to travel to Rift Station._ ”

Shepard was taken aback, but pleased. If she was authorised for that just for being a Spectre, what other information could she get out of the VI? “What caused the shutdown to Rift Station?”

“ _A containment breach in the Hot Labs-_ ”

“Yes, yes, you said that. But what got out?”

Mira was silent for several seconds, “ _Apologies Commander Shepard, you are not authorised for that information._ ”

Shepard narrowed her eyes, tempted to see if Tali could hack her way through the VI’s ‘not authorised’ crap. She thought better of it, “Is there anyone still alive in Rift Station or the Hot Labs?”

The hologram flickered before giving its answers, “ _Some of Rift Station’s personnel are present in the dormitories and security stations. Matriarch Benezia, several other Asari and unknown synthetic individuals are also present._ ”

Shepard smiled. At least they had confirmation that Benezia was there and this mission wasn’t necessarily a waste of time. “How do I get to Rift Station?”

“ _A tram is available to transport you through the facility near my core. Be advised, containment procedures have been breached and it may be unsafe._ ”

Shepard spun on her heel, heading straight for the elevator down to the tram with her squad in tow. The door opened, all four freezing as they looked through a large glass window at the path they needed to take, straight at four of the larger Rachni in a tiny space. Shepard took a cautious step forward, the insects not reacting to her presence at all. Another step, still nothing. She was able to get all the way to the glass, none on them noticing her. Shepard waved her hand slightly, trying to see if there would even be a reaction. “Must by a one-way mirror.

Mira’s hologram abruptly appeared in the corner of the room, Shepard jumping at the sudden object in her peripheral vision. “ _Contaminants are currently present in the security checkpoint to Rift Station. Shall I activate plasma vent decontamination procedures._ ” Getting over her jump scare, Shepard nodded. “ _Initiating decontamination._ ” There was a pause… and nothing happened. “ _Plasma vent is currently inoperable. Please contact maintenance to fix this issue at your earliest convenience._ ”

Shepard sighed to herself, “Why did I expect that to actually work?” She turned to the squad, “Look around, we might be able to fix it.” It only took them a moment before finding the broken piece. The power cable to the system itself had been cut. “I swear… your mother better have some good answers for us Liara. All this trouble to stop us.”

Liara looked slightly downcast, not what Shepard had intended, “I hope so too Shepard.”

Shepard knew she’d said the wrong thing, but as always, she had no way to fix the damage. She busied herself with Tali fixing the plasma vent’s system, though she was mostly just watching the Quarian work. They had it done within a minute, Shepard happily pushing the button. “ _Initiating decontamination._ ” There was a rumble as the plasma vents warmed up, before jets of super-heated gas ignited the air within the chamber. The Rachni rapidly began to burn, scratching desperately at the walls for a way out. They were soon nothing but ash on the ground, cleaned away by vents in the floor. “ _Decontamination complete. Security checkpoint is now open_.”

The door hissed open, releasing the smell of the incinerated Rachni. Shepard was very glad her armour had a vacuum seal, activating it the moment the acrid stench got to her nose. Wrex inhaled deeply, actually relishing the smell of the dead enemy. The edges of his lips twitched up in satisfaction, leading the way through the checkpoint.

The tram station was abandoned, only the emergency lighting on. Shepard crept forward with her shotgun raised, pushing the button to open the tram’s door and taking a step back, prepared to fire on anything that came out. Her suspicions proved true, several of the tiny Rachni flooding across the floor. The weapon took them all out within three blasts, the squad gingerly stepping over the acidic remains. Shepard took control of the tram, setting it into motion.

 

* * *

 

**Tuesday, 8:20pm, 12 th of January 2183**

**Rift Station, Peak 15, Noveria, Pax System**

 

For some reason, Shepard had been expecting Rachni to flood the tram on the way to their destination. Being in this facility for the last several hours was playing havoc with her intuition, waiting for the next attack by the insects. She was on edge as the doors dinged open, forcing her shotgun hard into her shoulder in preparation. With nothing in her immediate vision, Shepard rolled out the door, springing back up into a crouch and rapidly scanning the room. Still nothing.

Shepard relaxed, climbing to her feet, “All clear. For now, anyway. Keep your eyes peeled.”

“‘Keep your eyes peeled’?” The expression had confused the three aliens, Wrex voicing the question they were all thinking, “What the hell does that mean?”

Shepard turned back, “Its an expression.” All three looked between themselves, still not understanding, “You know, keep looking around, make sure nothing surprises us. ‘Keep your eyes peeled’.”

“Peeling your eyes sounds very counterproductive on that front Shepard.” Liara thought out loud, “I don’t think there would be a situation it would be advantageous at all.”

“It sounds like a torture method.” Tali joined in, enjoying watching Shepard squirm and scramble for an explanation.

Wrex laughed, “I’ll have to keep it in mind next time a bounty doesn’t wasn’t to come willingly. The whole live capture isn’t my thing, but maybe peeling their eyes would cut out the complaining.” He paused, a grin spreading a cross his face, “And maybe their eyes if I’m not careful.”

Shepard was thoroughly embarrassed by the situation four little words had caused, unable to stop the red spreading across her cheeks. She coughed to get the three’s attention back, “Let’s just move on, shall we?”

 All four froze at the sound of distant voices, “ _Was that the tram?_ ”

“ _No, can’t be. The whole place is under lockdown. Mira wouldn’t have let anyone through._ ”

“ _You can’t be serious. That was the tram, I know it._ ”

 _“Well I’m in charge, and we’re not going to fucking look, so just drop it_.”

Shepard led them forward, rifle aimed slightly down, ready to come up at the sign of trouble but not get them killed for threatening random employees. They came around the corner, a small barricade with several security officers all aiming their weapons at the four soldiers. One gun went off, missing Shepard’s head by a few inches. The Commander didn’t even flinch, simply moving further forward so they could see them properly.

The lead security officer shouted, “Weapons down! They’re not one of those things!” The floor was stained with Rachni blood along with several of their corpses, mostly piled in the corners but some strewn about the room. “Identify yourselves, if you wouldn’t mind.”

Shepard straightened up, glad to have found some people who were still alive in Peak 15, “Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy and Spectre. And you?”

“Captain Ventralis, Binary Helix security chief for Peak 15. Boy, are we glad to see you. We’ve been fighting those… those… those things for days.”

“Rachni.”

The Captain went pale at the word, along with the rest of his subordinates, “Rach…Rach…Rachni? We’ve been fighting Rachni.” He started so ramble, “No no no, his people-” He shook a wild finger at Wrex, “-killed them all thousands of years ago. They can’t be Rachni. They-”

Shepard held up a hand, silencing him before they got further off topic, “Look, it doesn’t really matter what they are. I need your help.” Ventralis nodded, not trusting his voice in that moment, “Where is Matriarch Benezia?”

All of the security went quiet at the mention of the elder Asari, “Dead. Most likely. She was in the labs when the lockdown went out. No way she survived surrounded by those monsters.”

Liara piped up, “If you think that, you don’t know Benezia very well.”

“Whatever the case is, you can’t get to her. You’d have to get through the Hot Labs to where she was working, and those are filled to the brim with the Rachni.” He swallowed at another mention of their enemy, still terrified of the notion they were fighting a race it had taken the Krogan to defeat.

Shepard rested her assault rifle over her shoulder, “Looks like we’re going to the Hot Labs. Which way?”

“Aren’t you listening? You’ll die down there!”

Shepard was getting increasingly frustrated at the man, “Captain. I need to get down there. Its not exaggerating when I say the fate of the galaxy depends on it. Now, how do I get to the Hot Labs?”

Ventralis almost continued arguing, but the look in Shepard’s eyes told him she wasn’t lying. No matter how far fetched her words may have been. He trusted her for a reason he couldn’t quite explain. And the Krogan behind her narrowing his eyes went a long way to changing his mind. Maybe they could survive down there. “Past us, through the dormitories, there’s an elevator we locked down.” He held out his ID, “This will get you down there. And may God have mercy on your souls.”

Shepard took the card and rolled her eyes, “Right… you too.” They walked awkwardly through the security, all of them eyeing Wrex warily and also strangely throwing glances at Liara. Did they suspect her working for Benezia? Or was there something else? The way they looked at the Asari was as though they expected her to attack them at any moment. What had Benezia done in the few days she’d been here to give these men and women such distrust towards an Asari?

They soon came upon the dormitories, the atrium packed with people. Shepard was shocked there was this many at a facility like this. Keeping things classified must have been a nightmare for Binary Helix, especially if the thing they were keeping secret was Rachni. The men and women in lab coats all had haunted far off looks in their eyes, none of them speaking to anyone else. Shepard was certain they had seen horrible things, most likely done by the Rachni to their colleagues. If they were as vicious as the ones the squad had already faced, these scientists would never forget the horrors they’d seen.

Every person in the room went silent, eyes locking on the four of them as they strode through towards the elevator that would take them to the Hot Labs. No one said a word as Shepard opened it up, stepping inside and began their journey. The eyes never left hers, Shepard only giving a nod before the door hid all of them from her view. She couldn’t fail them. She’d have to find a way to deal with the Rachni so that they could all get out of here with their lives.

The elevator lurched to life, sending them down far further than Shepard was expecting. The Hot Labs must have been extremely deep underground. Smart, if Shepard thought about it. If something like this catastrophe did happen, it would be simple to quarantine the entire place and wait for a proper extermination team. It had unfortunately not worked on the Rachni, but given how hard pressed even the Krogan had been to take them down, Shepard wasn’t surprised the insects had figured out a way to get out of their prison.

All four of them got down onto a single knee, prepared for whatever awaited them when the door finally did open. What none on them were expecting was… nothing. The elevator opened onto a huge room, completely devoid of any life. There weren’t even any corpses of Rachni or their victims. Simply…nothing.

Shepard rose first, taking painfully slow steps forward, pivoting left and right just waiting for the floor to explode upwards and the Rachni to swarm them. The first movement that wasn’t her own was not exactly what she’d been expecting.

A man entered the room with his hands up, his clothes thoroughly stained with blood. He had a large open wound on his side, dripping onto the floor and leaving a macabre path behind him. Shepard was amazed he could still stand let alone walk. He smiled at the Commander, something it was obvious caused a great deal of pain to him, given the state of the rest of him, “Huh, thought I was going to die alone. Although, if you’ve come down here, either you’re suicidal or you don’t know what’s going on.” He gave a gentle chuckle before almost doubling over in a violent coughing fit.

Shepard marched over to him, slinging his arm around her shoulder and helping him sit against the side wall. “The Rachni.”

“Ah, so you do know. Less explaining to do then. Come to kill them then?”

The biotic was unsure how much she should reveal to this man, “Among other things.”

“Probably for the best, I’ll admit.” He coughed again, leaning back against the wall with a groan, “I can help you with that, if you like.”

Shepard looked over the man’s injuries, “I don’t think you’re really in a state to help anyone.”

He only gave a tired smile, “Nonsense. I’ll be fine.” Shepard raised an eyebrow, “Okay, maybe I’m definitely going to die, but I can help you kill all of the Rachni.” He coughed, blood spattering his hand as he raised it up, groaning as his wounds shifted. He took several deep breaths, “There’s a failsafe for this sort of thing. A neutron purge. It’ll kill all the Rachni for sure, burn them out of all their little hidey holes.”

Shepard asked the question that had been burning in her mind since seeing this man was one of the researchers, “Surely you want to save them? You’ve been studying the Rachni for however long.”

He emphatically shook his head, “No. These ones are essentially mindless beasts. They have no direction. It’s the reason they’ve been so devastating to this whole facility. They’re just operating under their survival instincts; kill or be killed.” He sighed, “If there was any other solution, trust me, I’d be suggesting it. We have to kill them all.” He held out his omni-tool, “This has all the codes you’ll need to get through the security and activate the neutron purge. Once its going, do not leave the control room, unless you want to get a tan that’ll scorch your bones.”

“What about you?”

“I think this is my last few minutes.” He coughed again, his groan even louder than before, “Better it be an instant death than what’s happening to me now.”

Shepard had a sudden thought, “This won’t affect the lab deeper in the facility, will it?” She didn’t want to kill Benezia before she’d even had a chance to talk to the Asari. That would make this whole mission a complete failure.

“No, they’re on a separate system. Various reasons for that, but not really important. There aren’t any of _these_ Rachni there anyhow.” He looked at the Commander in a new light, “You’re here for _her_ then, aren’t you?” The biotic was surprised he’d figured it out. She nodded cautiously. “Ah, good. The sooner she’s gone, the better.” He pointed to a hallway, “Right at the end of there is the control room. Get going before I change my mind and take that omni-tool back.” A grin came across his face, quickly dashed by another round of coughing. He looked back up, Shepard still kneeling there next to him, “Go already! I’m not exactly getting any younger!”

Shepard reluctantly left the man behind, giving him a small part of her medi-gel reserves. She’d thrust it into his hands in such a way that it was impossible for him to refuse. The squad marched away, leaving him to die.

They quickly found the control room, and as promised, the neutron purge was easy to get started. Shepard hesitated over the final command. “Should be a straight shot to Benezia after this. You all ready?” There was nods all round. Liara didn’t look ready, if the worried expression on her face was anything to go by, “Are you sure, Liara?”

The Asari nodded, “Yes. I’m ready.” She looked down, not looking exactly convinced, “Can’t really get out of it _now_ , can I?”

“I suppose not.” Shepard input the command.

There was a rumbling, the viewing window into the main room giving them a full view of the purge in action. Even the air within in the control room heated up slightly as the purge began to power up. The floor shook, small Rachni coming out of it as the vents and airducts became too hot for them. Soon, the larger ones came from the hallways, trying to make their way towards the exit elevator. The door had magnetically sealed itself, their efforts useless. Then, it took proper effect.

The neutron purge came into full effect, the very air within the Hot Labs igniting. The squad watched as every Rachni burned to a crisp and even their ash was incinerated away till there was nothing but blackened stains on the floors. It continued on for several minutes, Shepard guessing as a precaution to make absolutely certain that whatever the system was trying to cleanse from the labs, that it would succeed.

Finally, the door to the control room disengaged its seals, allowing them out. There was a slight acrid smell in the air, likely from all the burned Rachni. It would have been far worse if they’d only been partly burned, their blood in the air would’ve likely been almost insufferable. Shepard still had her rifle ready to fire at any moment as she stalked into the room, not totally convinced the Rachni would’ve been all killed by the neutron blast. She was amazed that the structure of the room had survived, given the destructive weapon it had just had unleashed upon it.

Every room they walked into was empty, that same scent in the air. This must have been the major nest for the Rachni, the large bulk of their numbers must’ve been down here. The number they’d faced earlier in Peak 15 had been paltry in comparison, barely a scouting party. How many had Binary Helix had? Where did they get so many? _How_ did they get so many? To have this many they would’ve needed a Rachni Queen. They couldn’t have found this many by chance.

Shepard led them to a long hallway, several warning signs for the staff of Peak 15 alerting them to potentially hazardous conditions in the next room. The Commander was certain this was where Benezia was. Whatever lay beyond, they’d have to deal with quickly and efficiently. They needed as much time with Benezia as they could get, and if Saren’s ship had the power it seemed to, it was almost a certainty that Benezia would attempt to kill herself rather than let them capture her.

They all checked their weapons, preparing for whatever they might face. The next room was nothing like Shepard was expecting.

Sat in the middle was a giant container, its sides blocked from their view at this angle. The space was largely open, a pit around the container that dominated the centre. Stairs in front of them went to a raised platform, a lone Asari standing atop it. She was staring forward, obviously having noted their entrance but doing nothing in response. Shepard only took a few steps forward before she began to speak.

“I was wondering how long it would take you to reach me.” The Asari spoke with the tone you’d speak to a disobedient child with, evidently what she considered the four of them. “Dealing with the Rachni in such a way speaks to your brashness if nothing else.” She twisted to face them, locking gazes with Shepard, “To harm such beautiful creatures in such a violent manner… you are children playing with things you don’t understand.” She turned back to the central chamber, Shepard taking the chance to creep around and see what was in it. Hey eyes widened at the sight. A Rachni Queen. “Her children were to be ours. To sweep across the galaxy and slay Saren’s enemies! And you murdered them!”

Shepard rolled her eyes, “They were mindless!”

“Less so than you.” Matriarch Benezia scoffed, pointing at Liara while still only looking at Shepard, “What? Did you think to sway me with sympathy? To use my daughter against me? Convince me that what I’m doing is wrong, or illogical? I see through you, Commander.”

“Liara is here because she wants to be. I didn’t ask her to, she insisted. And yes, I thought, maybe she could get through to you.”

“Oh? And what have you told them, Liara? That I was a horrible mother? That I never had time for you? Never encouraged your passions? What lies have you spread about me to all your little friends?”

Liara looked as though she might explode, “What exactly do you think I would say? That I haven’t seen you in years? That despite what I may think about you as a mother, I couldn’t even fathom how you could possibly think working with Saren was right?” She threw her hands up, “Or should I have explained how to kill you?”

“As if you could.” Benezia crossed her arms, suddenly disinterested in the conversation, “As expected. You are still the same bratty little child. As short-sighted and naïve as always.”

“Surrender Benezia.” Shepard began to climb the stairs, stalking closer to the Asari, “We can work this out peacefully. Just tell me what Saren is planning. I can stop him if you help me.”

There was a slight flicker of surprise that passed over Benezia’s face. Shepard saw it. The look in the Asari’s eyes said it all. Her mind was not entirely made up about Saren’s plan. Maybe she could be talked down. As soon as it came, it was gone, replaced with a sneer, “Ha! Saren can not be stopped. His righteous plan will wash away the galaxy’s sins. We will usher in a new age of peace.” The Matriarch attacked faster than Shepard was prepared for, picking the Human up with her biotics and tossing her back down the stairs. She only bounced once before managing to stop, getting back to her feet quickly. Benezia was not surprised at her tenacity. She’d read much about Shepard in preparation for their meeting. Even some of the classified mission reports about the Human. She was impressive, there was no doubt. “You can not stop him. None of you can.” She smirked, “Have you ever faced an Asari Commando unit? Few Humans have had the pleasure.”

“You’d kill your own daughter?” Shepard was stunned at Benezia’s callousness.

“I see now, I should have been stricter with her.” Benezia surrounded the entire platform she was on with a biotic barrier, all four of the squad firing on it, only to have their bullets bounce off. They wouldn’t be getting to the Matriarch any time soon. Shepard spun at the sound of a door hissing open on the far side of the room. Five Asari in black armour came through, all beginning their attack without a second’s hesitation. Shepard smiled to herself. She’d trained for almost this exact situation.

Shepard stowed her rifle, charging her entire body with dark energy, doing the last thing the Asari unit was expecting. Once they’d advanced halfway across the room, there was a resounding crack as Shepard released all of the pent-up energy at once, rocketing across the room and tackling two of the Asari in mid-air. The three went tumbling to the ground, Shepard quickly gaining control of the scuffle. They landed near the door they’d come in through, Shepard leaping back to her feet and ripping the weapons from her opponent’s hands before tossing them away. She stepped out of range of their first strikes, ready for their attack.

The two Asari exchanged a look, rushing Shepard with simultaneous, perfectly-coordinated blows. Shepard dodged around them, responding with a heavy blow to one of their ribs, sending her tumbling into the other. The Commander allowed them to get back to their feet. She could have a little fun with this. They came at Shepard from both sides, unleashing wild flurries of punches against the Human. Shepard blocked all of them, turning aside every blow and even able to counterattack against them. A kick to the right brought Shepard’s opponents down to one, turning on the other and advancing on her. Shepard caught the next punch, twisting till she was behind the Asari. She brought her free hand forward, the Asari’s elbow bending the wrong way as Shepard’s palm slammed into it. Her scream was soon silenced as Shepard brought a biotic punch across her face, her head cracking into the ground.

The second Asari didn’t even have time to stop the Commander killing her ally, only just regaining her feet after being kicked away. A look of panic crossed her face, knowing she wasn’t going to be able to defeat the Human. But she had to try. She brought her pistol to bear against Shepard, every bullet deflecting off her biotic barrier. The Asari backed away, circling around the room even as Shepard followed her every step of the way. She did the last thing she could think of, creating a singularity in her hand and attempting to toss it at the Commander.

Shepard met her in the middle, creating one of her own and sending it to collide with the Asari’s. The two orbs of chaotic dark energy crashed together in a brilliant explosion, distorting the space around them. The two combined into one, whipping the air around them into a frenzy. The Asari took a step forward, Shepard remaining in her spot. As the orb slowly came closer to her, Shepard moved her free hand slowly, falling to the handle of her pistol. When it seemed like she might be overwhelmed, Shepard abruptly let go of her biotics, falling backwards and allowing the dark energy to fly off and collide with the wall. Her pistol came free, firing a single shot.

The Asari had focused all of her biotics into the singularity, her barrier completely absent. She collapsed to her knees before falling on her front, the bullet through her chest killing her instantly. Shepard clambered back to her feet, rushing back to her squad.

While Shepard dealt with her two commandos, the other three had quickly advanced on the rest of the squad. Tali and Liara dove behind cover, protecting themselves from the commando’s fire. Wrex fired straight back, forcing the Asari into cover themselves. The Krogan continued his path forward, holding his barrier up to defend himself from their attacks. He reached the first one, kicking the cover over and sending the Asari rolling away. A shotgun blast from him stained the ground purple, bringing the Asari count down to two. That shot had overheated his shotgun, forcing the Krogan to retreat a few steps and get into cover himself.

Liara stared up at her mother, stunned into inaction by her words. This was not the woman she’d been raised by. Despite her mistrust of her mother, Liara did not think she was actually capable of all this. She thought Benezia would have been stronger, would have resisted Saren’s pull and turned him back on the right path. The woman that stood on the platform above them was nothing more than a shell of the one Liara remembered. What had changed in the years since they’d seen each other to turn Benezia into this? Did Saren’s ship really have the power necessary to take one of the strongest people Liara had ever known and turn her into a puppet? What kind of monstrosity would do that to someone?

Tali fired her shotgun as an Asari popped her head over her cover. The engineer was too far back for it to be an effective attack, but it did force the commando back down. She searched for any systems within the Asari’s armour that she could exploit, but found none. Their armour was nothing more than that. Only armour, not even a single electrical piece. It left Tali with a very trimmed down toolkit to deal with them. “Let’s move.” She moved ahead, crouched down and weaving left and right, avoiding the incoming gunfire. Reaching the next cover, she looked back, realising Liara had not followed. “Liara!” The Asari snapped out of her trance, finally looking up and realising she’d been left behind. She began to follow, Tali waving her back down, “Just stay there!”

Wrex rolled his eyes at the exchange, using his biotics to tug one of the Asari out of her cover. He came around his own, sprinting right at his target, seizing her throat in his hand, lifting her entire body into the air before slamming her to the floor. The Krogan squeezed harder until there was a snap beneath him. Before he could get back up, a fist rushed up from under him, catching the Krogan on the jaw and sending him sprawling backwards. The final Asari commando ran after him, determined to kill the Krogan. Before she could get within a metre of him, her chest was riddled with holes. Both Tali and Liara had shot the final enemy, Tali from a few metres away with her shotgun, Liara from further back with her pistol. The commando coughed once, blood flying from her mouth, before finally collapsing.

Shepard came back in, helped Wrex to his feet, and quickly making her way up to Benezia’s barrier. “Give it up. It’s four against one.”

“This is not over. Saren will fulfill his destiny. Everything is clear!” She paused, “Oh, and also,” The Matriarch smiled at Shepard’s threat, “It’s one against one.”

The barrier dissipated and before anyone could react, Benezia locked Wrex, Tali and Liara in stasis fields, leaving only Shepard untethered. The Commander brought her rifle around, but not fast enough. The Matriarch was on her in less than a second, tossing the Human onto the platform, bouncing and sliding before crashing into the far handrail. Shepard was back on her feet with a sweep of her legs, falling into a boxing stance. At this range, there was no chance of getting a weapon out fast enough to shoot at the Asari. The one she’d had lay on the ground, too far away to be of any use.

The Matriarch advanced on Shepard, letting fly punches almost faster than she could defend. Despite the restrictive dress she was wearing, Benezia was easily the most challenging melee opponent Shepard had ever faced. She’d had centuries to perfect every hand to hand style the Asari had. Shepard was a master at several of them, but not to this degree, and certainly not at this speed.

They traded blows at such an extreme rate that Shepard was reacting almost purely on instinct. Her mind could not keep up with this, the Commander just hoping her training would keep her alive. She couldn’t even land a single blow against Benezia, every single one she could offer in retaliation to the Asari’s countered instantaneously. Dark energy built up around them, a storm of biotic power that would have prevented anyone getting even close to the fight. Shepard couldn’t begin to slow down. She was fairly certain she’d die if she did, her barrier the only thing that was keeping any of these blows from killing her outright.

Shepard felt a punch crack her visor, too fast for her to see. She ducked the next one, dancing away from the Asari. She didn’t even see the next attack coming before she was lifted from the ground, almost thrown away before reacting on instinct, letting fly her own wave of dark energy. Both combatants fell to the ground, both back on their feet within seconds.

Shepard had the barest instant to observe Benezia. She could see the rise and fall of her chest, the sweat beading on her brow. The Asari was tired. Exhausted even. Her eyes betrayed her thoughts. Whatever hold Saren had over her mind, Benezia was fighting it, while simultaneously fighting Shepard. She had to exploit that if she wanted to win.

“Fight him Benezia!” Her breath rushed from her lungs as a fist caught her in the stomach. Shepard seized hold of the limb, shifting her body weight and tossing Benezia away. “You’re stronger than him!” There was a tiny moment of confusion on the Matriarch’s face, Shepard taking full advantage with a powerful cross to the cheek. “You don’t want to do this.”

Benezia sent a full force shockwave into Shepard’s stomach, sending the Commander flipping into the air. She didn’t launch another attack, her own fingers digging into her scalp. She screamed as she felt the tendrils of his control stretch deeper.

Shepard groaned as she rose back to her feet, staring at the Asari. She was getting through to her. “Help me take Saren down! You can save the galaxy if you help me!”

“I WILL NOT BETRAY HIM! YOU WILL-” Benezia screamed, a biotic shockwave released in every direction. It brought Shepard down once more, knocking the rest of her squad from their stasis and sending them crashing into the wall. Shepard sat up, finding Benezia on her knees, clutching at her head, “You… must… listen…” Every word sounded painful, as though she was fighting her entire being to get them out, “Saren still whispers in my mind. I can only hold his control at bay for only so long. The indoctrination is strong.”

“Saren’s controlling you?”

She groaned, her face creasing with pain, “People are not themselves around Saren. The longer you spend near him, the more you think his mission is right. You believe in him, no matter how wrong you know it to be. The key is his flagship, Sovereign. It is unnatural, its power extraordinary. Being onboard twists your mind to believe in Saren.” She gave a pained laugh, “I thought I was strong enough to resist. I thought I could temper Saren’s mission. I was wrong. I became a tool for him to use as he saw fit.” Benezia struggled to her feet, locking eyes with Shepard, “You have to stop him. He sent me here to find the Mu relay. Its location was lost thousands of years ago.”

Shepard’s eyes widened, “You found the Mu relay?”

“The Rachni claimed that section of space as their own. They’re territorial by nature, and they are driven to cut off any access to their space that they could not control. They discovered the relay.” She turned around, slowing making her way to the railing near the Queen’s case, “Rachni share memories across generations. Queens pass on their knowledge to their daughters.” Benezia seemed to shudder as she said the next words, “I took the information from this one. I was not gentle.”

“Can you give it to me?”

Benezia nodded, pointing to a datapad on a table on the side of the platform, “It is there.” She collapsed again, holding her head with both hands, “I was not myself when I took it… I should have been stronger…” Her head rose one more time, most likely the last, “You have to be quick. I transmitted the coordinates to Saren before you arrived.” The Matriarch gave a wordless scream, “His control is too strong… I can’t… resist…”

“Mother!” Liara had gotten back to her feet, rushing forward to Benezia, but stopping short next to Shepard, afraid to go any closer lest her mother fail to hold back and attack her, “You have to fight it! Don’t leave!”

“I’ve always been proud of you Liara.” Before anyone could stop her, Benezia’s hand shot out, yanking Liara’s pistol from her side. It flew into the Matriarch’s hand, pushed up under her chin “I’m sorry.”

The gun fired, Benezia’s body collapsing backwards, a pool of purple blood collecting around her head. Liara stood stunned, her hand outstretched from where she’d tried to stop the weapon flying into her mother’s hand. She staggered forward, falling to her knees at the other Asari’s side, a few tears just beginning to fall. She reached up, gently closing Benezia’s eyes, holding her hand briefly against her mother’s cheek. After a minute, she took a shaky breath, climbing back to her feet and collecting the datapad containing the coordinates to the Mu relay. She held it out to Shepard, “We should get going then.”

“Liara… are you-”

Liara held up a hand, interrupting the Commander, “I don’t really want to talk about it.” Seeing the look on Shepard’s face, she continued, “I’ll be fine, Shepard. Let’s just get out of here.”

Wrex walked past them, jerking his chin at the Rachni Queen, “What about that thing?”

Shepard came to stand next to him, “I don’t know.”

The Krogan growled, “We should kill it. My people don’t need another war to stop.”

“And commit genocide again? Don’t know if I can do that Wrex.”

Wrex turned, getting in Shepard’s face, “And who’s going to stop them this time? You? The Humans? My people have the Genophage thanks to these fucking bugs. There aren’t enough of us to stop them again.”

“And this Queen wasn’t even alive during the war! How do we know she wants the same thing?”

“All Rachni want the same thing. It’s why we had to crush them into tiny little-”

“Uhh… guys?” Tali’s voice interrupted their argument, “I don’t think that’s right.”

Shepard and Wrex drew weapons, pointing them at what Tali was talking about. One of the Asari commandos was staggering up the stairs, her movement jerky and unfocused. Her head lolled back and twisted around, her eyes completely blank voids. It stumbled past the Human and Krogan, stopping close to the glass of the Rachni’s cage. She turned around, head snapping up to look at Shepard.

Shepard looked past the Asari, towards the Rachni. The Queen had raised one of her antennae, now pointed directly at the Asari’s back. She began to speak, the words stuttering, a second tone laid over the first, not the Asari’s own, a whisper of the words she said echoing behind the louder voice, “Do not be alarmed. This one. Serves as our voice. We cannot sing. Not in these low spaces. Your musics are colourless.”

Shepard looked at Wrex before turning her attention back to the Asari, “Uhhh, what?”

“This vessel. Is at the edge. Yet she struggles. You cannot see her magnificence. We are breathing on the embers.” The Asari drew a rattling breath into her lungs, Shepard walking past her to look at the true speaker, “We are the mother. We sing for those left behind. The children you thought silenced. We are Rachni.”

“How are you speaking through the Asari?”

“Our kind sing through touchings of thought. We pluck the strings, and the other understands. She is weak to urging.” Another breath, this one even more laboured than the first, “She has colours we have no names for. But she is ending. Her music is bittersweet. It is beautiful. The children we birthed were stolen from us before they could learn to sing. They are lost to silence. You ended their suffering. They could not be saved. They could only cause harm as they were. We thank you for this kindness.”

“Why were your children attacking everyone?”

An angry look crossed over the Asari’s face, mirrored by a shift in the Rachni’s mandibles, “These needle-men. They stole our eggs from us. They sought to turn our children into beasts of war. Claws with no songs of their own. Our elders are comfortable with silence. Children know only fear if no one sings to them. Fear had shattered their minds.”

“Still. I’m sorry we had to kill them.”

“Do not be sorry. It was a kindness to them and to us.” The Asari drew in another breath, this one sounding like her last, “We stand before you. Alone. What will you sing? Will you release us? Are we to fade away once more?”

Shepard looked down at the console in front of her and considered her options. There was a way to release thousands of gallons of acid into the chamber, killing the Queen and thus her entire race. Was she really prepared to play god and end the Rachni simply because of what they might do? Was this Queen at fault for the sins of her forebears?

“What’re you waiting for Shepard? Kill it.” Wrex’s tone was final, as though that was the only option available to them. And to him, it was. His people had sacrificed so much to destroy the Rachni the last time they rampaged across the galaxy, and Shepard doubted the Krogan would be willing to do it again if this Queen rose up against the other races once more.

“I don’t know.” Tali it seemed was having the same misgivings as Shepard, “This Rachni has done nothing. We can’t be certain that she will lead an attack on the galaxy again.”

Liara echoed her thoughts, “This might be a chance for us to atone for the Rachni wars. We went too far last time. The Krogan destroying the entire race was a mistake.”

Wrex was surprisingly calm, “And destroying the Krogan with the Genophage wasn’t? We destroyed the Rachni and are being slowly killed by our ‘reward’.” He huffed out a breath, “I won’t fight you if you won’t kill it Shepard. I just hope you’re prepared to accept the consequences of releasing it. If it does attack, the Krogan won’t help.”

“Your companions hear the truth. You have the power to free us, or return our people to the silence of memory.”

Shepard looked down at the Rachni Queen. It looked calm, prepared to accept whatever fate the Human decreed. The choice of whether the Rachni lived or died was left to Commander Shepard.

“How can I be sure you won’t attack us again?” Shepard couldn’t make this decision without an answer to at least that.

“No!” The Rachni’s answer was loud and abrupt, “We- I do not know what happened in the war. We only heard discordance, songs the colour of oily shadows. We would seek a hidden place to teach our children harmony. If they understand, perhaps we would return.”

“How did you come to be here? Surely you can’t have been alive during the Rachni wars?”

“No.” The Rachni reconsidered her answer, “We do not know. We were only an egg, hearing Mother cry in our dreams. A tone from space hushed one voice after another. It forced the singers to resonate with its own sour yellow note. Then we awoke, in this place. The last echo of those who came out of the Singing Planet. The sky is silent.”

“That would mean… the Rachni didn’t actually want to go to war? Something was forcing them to.” This information astounded the four present. “If that’s the case, the Rachni aren’t naturally inclined to attack any one that comes near them.” Shepard turned to Wrex, “I can’t kill the Rachni. I can’t doom them to extinction.”

The Krogan only grunted, crossing his arms, “Do what you want, Shepard. I’m not going to stop you.”

Shepard turned back to the Rachni, “I’m going to release you.”

Both Rachni and Asari looked somewhat surprised at her decision, “You will give us the chance to compose anew?” The Queen bowed its head towards the biotic, “We will remember. We will sing of your forgiveness to our children.” Shepard hesitated for a moment, staring down at the Queen. The Rachni looked back, her giant eyes full of hope that Shepard would do the right thing. Finally, she opened the cage, the Rachni releasing her hold over the deceased Asari. But not before one last message, “Thank you, Shepard.” Her name sounded strange in the Asari’s detached voice.

Shepard hoped she’d made the right decision. The Rachni gave a screech in its own voice before leaving its prison, quickly disappearing from sight. The Commander turned to Liara, glancing down at Benezia’s body, “Do you need time, Liara?”

“No. I’ll arrange for her body to be brought back to Thessia once we’re back on the Normandy.” The Asari swallowed, “Let’s just get out of here.”

Shepard nodded, leading them away from the Matriarch’s body and towards the exit.

 

* * *

 

**Wednesday, 2:30am, 13 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Pax System**

Shepard closed off the line to the Council, leaning heavily forward on the railing. The Asari Councillor had been extremely vocal about Benezia’s death, unable to believe that she had been indoctrinated by Saren and his mission. Even explaining that the Matriarch’s own daughter had been with her and assured them that Benezia was not acting as herself didn’t convince them. None of the Councillor’s believed Shepard about Sovereign, still thinking it was just a giant dreadnought. After so many reports to the contrary, how did they still not believe?

She sighed, turning away from the comm system. She rubbed at her eyes. Shepard was exhausted. Hours of fighting on Noveria had left her almost completely drained. For once, she wasn’t even planning to go work out. She was fairly certain she’d just pass out if she did. No, her bed was calling her name, and she planned to answer.

Shepard barely made it to the door before Joker’s voice came out over the intercom, “ _Uhhh, Commander? The Council is hailing us again. Marked as urgent. Did you hang up on them again?_ ”

“No? They signed off and I was leaving the comm room.”

“ _Want me to put it through?_ ”

Shepard groaned at more bureaucracy, “Yeah, yeah. Probably should.”

“ _Commander._ ” Only the Salarian Councillor appeared.

“Councillor. Was there something further we needed to discuss?” Shepard was doing her best to remain somewhat polite. She was sick of not being believed, but being rude to the Councillor would get her nowhere.

“ _We’ve received intel on Saren’s location._ ”

That woke Shepard back up, “Wait, really? I thought he was hiding and impossible to track?”

“ _Yes, that was the case. But a Salarian Reconnaissance Team caught a break and has managed to track him into the Attican Traverse. They believe Saren has led them right to his main base of operations. We’ve lost contact with them and believe they are in danger. We need you to get there as soon as possible. Perhaps capture Saren much sooner than anticipated._ ”

“Where am I headed?”

“ _Virmire. It’s on the border with the Terminus Systems, so we advise caution. Engage the Normandy’s stealth systems. We can’t afford for this mission to be seen as an attack against them._ ”

“Yes, sir. I’ll head there right away.”

“ _Good._ ” The Councillor shut off the connection without another word.

“I assume you got all that, Joker?”

“ _Pfft… what? Me? I wasn’t listening in._ ” The pilot’s excuse sounded weak, even to him.

Shepard rolled her eyes, “Uh huh. Get us to Virmire, ASAP.”

“ _Laying course in now, Commander. ETA eight hours._ ” Joker’s voice turned far more sympathetic, “ _Should probably get some rest, Shepard. You looked like hell when you came back on board. I mean… you kind of always do? But in a ‘I’m gonna give you hell if you step out of line’ way rather than ‘I’m about to collapse cause I’m running on empty’ way._ ”

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up Joker. I’ll take you on a ground mission one of these days, see how you like it getting shot at.”

“ _Hard pass on that one. Brittle bones don’t do so well against bullets_.”

Shepard laughed, “Won’t know till you try, right?”

“ _Think I’ll leave the getting shot to you. I like my body unpenetrated, thank you very much._ ” Joker just barely heard Shepard’s snicker at the turn of phrase, “ _Oh ha ha._ ”

“Hey, you said it.”

“ _Just get some sleep, Shepard._ ”

“Aye aye, Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau.”

“ _Ugh… I hate you_.”

“Pfft, you love me. Don’t lie.”

Shepard heard the distinct sound of Joker shutting off his comms, laughing loud enough that she was fairly certain he would hear her from the other end of the ship. The Commander made her way groggily down to her room, collapsing onto her bed the moment the door was shut. She drifted off to sleep almost straight away, mentally preparing herself for yet another battle to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Over 100k words, wooo!


	10. Finding the Enemy, Part 1

**Wednesday, 9:40am, 13 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Hoc System**

 

Shepard woke up to a knocking at her room’s door. She lifted her head up off the pillow, eyes widening at the time. She hadn’t slept in this late in years. She must have been truly tired if she’d slept more than four or five hours. And no dreams or their accompanying nightmares to speak of, so that was a bonus. The Commander stood up, stretching her arms up over her head, rotating her joints till her muscles felt like they weren’t going to seize up at any given moment.

She padded over to the door, unsurprised to find Tali standing on the other side of it. “Hey. Sorry, I was still asleep.” Eliza stifled a yawn. Another thing that didn’t usually happen.

“At this time?” Eliza noticed that the Quarian was already kitted out for the mission to Virmire. She’d correctly assumed she’d be part of Shepard’s ground team. “That’s not like you Eliza. I think I’ve yet to see you wake up after 5am.”

Eliza smiled, scratching at the back of her head, “Yeah. Something must be wrong with me today.”

“Really?” Tali’s eyebrow was just barely visible through her visor rising up her forehead, “Only today? Pretty sure there’s something wrong with you every day.”

“Oof…” Eliza thought for a moment, smile widening, “Well, you’re not wrong. Fair call.”

Tali laughed, turning to move away and speaking over her shoulder, “Should get ready though. Don’t want to be late to your date with Saren.”

“Ugh.” Was Eliza’s only response as the Quarian moved away. She waited till Tali was gone before closing the door and beginning to get ready. She was still in her fatigues from last night, not having had the energy to change out of them into pyjamas or anything else. She quickly stripped them off, pulling the under armour from her suit over herself, fastening it to her body.

Shepard stood in front of the small mirror in her room, looking up into her reflection. Joker had been right the previous night. She looked like hell, and if she was honest, felt like it too. Dark circles under her eyes, hair a mess around her head. Shepard ran her hands through it, trying to tame the flame-coloured mane and at least get some of the knots out of it. She somewhat succeeded, giving up trying to do anymore and tying it up in a ponytail. She needed to rest at some point. Properly this time, not the sleep she got on the Normandy. Even if it was just a single day of not doing anything, it needed to happen soon. It had been a long time since she’d been on missions nearly every day for two weeks straight. It was definitely getting to her. Shepard could see it on her crew as well. They were just as tired, many of them more so, than she was. She could see it in their eyes. They needed to catch Saren, and they needed to do it now. Hopefully Virmire would give them just that chance.

 

* * *

 

**Wednesday, 10:40am, 13 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Virmire Orbit, Hoc System**

 

Shepard marched into the cockpit, standing behind Joker’s pilot chair. She’d made sure to announce her presence with loud footsteps, trying to avoid scaring Joker at such a crucial part of his job.

“Scans of the ground are complete Shepard.” Joker turned to face the Commander, “The Salarians were right. Saren’s here along with that huge ship.”

“How close can you get us to the base?”

Joker grimaced at the question, “Barely within a few kilometres. Saren has some nasty ground defences. They’ll shoot the Normandy out of the sky before we can get anywhere near it. The AA guns alone could take out a cruiser. The Normandy’s shields just couldn’t take it. We can’t even stealth in, they’ll see us a mile away and take us down then. Those combined with the firepower of Sovereign, you’ll have to get there in the Mako. I’m a great pilot, but I’m not that great.”

Shepard nodded. She trusted Joker’s instincts on piloting the Normandy and what he could make the ship do. If he said it wasn’t possible to get any closer, it wasn’t. “Okay, get ready to drop the Mako, I want us as close to that bastard as you can get us.” Shepard shouted over her shoulder even as she started to jog away, “Let’s go get that son of a bitch.” The crew around her cheered, excited at the prospect of their mission ending earlier than expected.

 

* * *

 

**Wednesday, 11:00am, 13 th of January 2183**

**Virmire, Hoc System**

 

Shepard slammed her foot to the floor of the Mako, sending the tank rocketing out of the Normandy’s cargo bay. They landed hard, Shepard not relenting on the acceleration for even a second as the Mako skidded over the ground beneath the water. She finally brought them to a stop some distance from the landing point, surveying the surroundings on the Mako’s display.

Virmire was a tropical paradise, and would’ve been an excellent target for colonisation, if not for the neighbouring Terminus Systems. The threat of attack from the darker parts of the galaxy had dissuaded any true efforts into properly settling the planet. A token effort had been made by Humanity in the past, but it had quickly failed, being attacked several times in the first year of its existence. Virmire had subsequently been abandoned, blacklisted from any possibility of ever trying again. This had apparently made it a prime location for Saren’s operation, and of course, he’d made absolutely certain that it would be essentially impossible to approach the base from the air.

They’d landed in shallow water, about half a metre deep if Shepard had to guess. Joker had managed to drop them on a section of Virmire with a near straight shot to Saren’s base. There were twist and turns to be sure, but it would also lead them to the last known location of the Salarian unit who’d sent the distress call initially.

“This is Commander Shepard, Spectre for the Council calling all STG units on Virmire.” There was nothing but static in response. She repeated herself. “This is Commander Shepard, Spectre for the Council calling all STG units on Virmire.” Nothing but crackling at the other end once more. “Looks like we fight our way through.” She shifted the Mako into gear, sending the tank streaming through the water beneath it.

Tali, Wrex and Garrus kept lookout around the Mako, Tali using its sensory equipment to warn them of any impending threats. From the scans on the Normandy, they’d seen at least three anti-air stations blocking their path. Taking those out would allow the Normandy to nearly land on Saren’s front door step, and the ship’s firepower would be needed if they wanted to destroy the base for good.

They’d also noted a close to platoon strength number of Geth, further complicating their plans. There was at least several dozen at each station along their way, if the heat images they’d managed to capture had been accurate. Shepard hoped they wouldn’t have to face too many Armatures and sincerely begged they didn’t have to face a Colossus. There wouldn’t really be anywhere for them to hide to take out a Geth of that size. The Mako had the firepower, but it couldn’t really take more than a couple shots from an Armature, and even a single shot from the Colossus brought the tank to near deactivation.

Shepard brought the Mako around a corner hard, already firing the small machine guns mounted on the front of the tank. She took the Geth beyond the bend by surprise, taking out several in quick succession with a few simple volleys of the weapons. The synthetics soon sprung into defensive positions, moving themselves out of the line of fire while simultaneously firing back. Drones in the air were proving a problem, the Mako’s weapons insufficient to take out the smaller targets. They were simply too fast for the main gun, and the weapons on the front could not be moved.

“Help me out here Garrus?”

Garrus solved the problem quickly, letting Shepard use the Mako’s weaponry to take out the ground troops while he leaned out the window. Shepard’s skill with the weapons prevented any of the Geth from taking advantage of the Turian’s currently precarious position. Garrus moved his sniper into position, taking aim even as the drones flew every which way to prevent their destruction. Each shot shattered through their armour and disrupted their internal hardware, causing the Geth to explode as Garrus took them out with incredible efficiency. Every time his weapon overheated, Garrus’s free hand would make itself known, gripping his pistol and holding back the drones while the main weapon cooled.

Soon, there was only a single Geth trooper left, Shepard accelerating straight toward it. She rammed it with enough force to send it flying, crashing into a rocky wall and crumpling into a smoking wreck. She didn’t stop to savour the victory, continuing their path toward the first station they’d need to take out for the Normandy to land near Saren’s base.

The Mako came flying around a corner, in sight of the first anti-air defences. The Geth troopers out the front all turned the moment the tank came into sight, firing everything they had. Shepard didn’t even try to actually hit the Geth themselves, shooting behind them and sending cracks running through the rocks around the walls. Huge stones fell down, crushing the Geth she hadn’t gotten with the explosion from the main gun. Soon, there was no outer defences left, but they knew there would be more synthetics inside. The Mako was prevented from going any further by a gate in the wall, at least a few feet thick from what the squad could tell. It would take them far too long to take it down with the tank’s weapons. They were going to have to lower it from the inside.

Shepard moved the Mako in close to the outer walls, calmly getting out and drawing her rifle. A small side door in the wall was the only means of entrance and the Geth would almost certainly have it covered with enough weaponry to take down even Wrex. They’d have to play this smart if they wanted to get through. She made her way right to the edge of the opening, opening it with a small side panel. The doorway was immediately filled with a hail of bullets, just as the Commander had expected it would be. Shepard took a grenade from her belt, pulling the pin and counting down as the other three did the same.

“Three… Two… One…”

In rapid succession, they all threw their explosives, hooking them around the doorframe for maximum effect. The moment the explosions rocketed out of the opening, Shepard moved in, concentrating on her barrier as she laid down covering fire, sweeping her rifle back and forth. The grenades had taken out much of the initial room’s defences, the Commander’s gunfire deactivating some of the less damaged ones.

Wrex threw himself in front of Shepard as one of the Geth she hadn’t noticed fired a rocket at her exposed back. The Krogan somehow managed to catch the projectile with his bare hands, wrestling with the engine on the weapon. With a massive amount of strength, he turned the missile in his hands, singing his armour in the process, and let it fly straight back at its owner. The Geth exploded in a fire ball, Wrex blocking shrapnel with his arm that had flown directly at his face.

The room went quiet as Tali overloaded the final Geth, sending it crashing to the ground with a buzz of electricity. “HA! Never get tired of fighting Geth. Always the same tactics and those don’t work against Krogan.” Wrex’s grin stayed the same as the squad followed Shepard further into the facility, climbing a set of stairs towards an outer walkway.

They were met with heavy resistance as they reached the second floor, Geth troopers stretching down a long corridor toward what Shepard assumed were the anti-air cannons’ controls. Just as she caught sight of them, a door slammed down, blocking her view. All of these Geth were going to have to go down before they tackled that obstacle.

The squad was forced into cover as Geth blasted their positions and by Shepard’s count, there were at least three Primes among them. She poked her head up slightly, nearly having it shot off before she quickly ducked back down. Tali was frantically entering commands into her omni-tool, cursing under her breath in Khelish. She became more frustrated as her attempts at hacking through the Geth proved ineffective.

“We need to get rid of those Primes!” Shepard could barely hear the Quarian’s shouting over the bullets filling the air. “They’re protecting the others! I can’t hack through their shields until they’re down!”

Tali was right. These Geth were far more organised than she’d seen previously. The tactics they were using were far more complex than the Geth had displayed since they’d started fighting them a couple of weeks ago. The Primes had to be taken down if they had even a chance of getting this AA gun offline. Shepard tried to survey the floor they found themselves on, nearly getting shot at least five times in the process.

The squad was on an outside walkway, doors spaced evenly along which led further into the station, and Shepard assumed to the other side. The door to the control room was at the far end, along with a small army of synthetics bent on preventing their advancing. There was no way they could go forward without being heavily injured by the near constant gunfire of the Geth in front of them. They'd have to take one step back and hopefully two steps forward.

“Garrus, Wrex, hold them here! Tali, with me!”

Shepard's Turian and Krogan squad mates continued to fire on the enemy, only managing to take out a few before being forced back into cover. Garrus’ sniper rifle was near useless in the circumstance he found himself in, forced to switch it out for the assault rifle. He was just as excellent a shot with the new weapon, but it lacked the sheer firepower of the larger weapon stowed on his back. This was proving annoying, as each bullet had less of an impact and he had to fire on each Geth for far longer before it finally went down.

Wrex had a similar problem. They were just out of the range his shotgun was truly effective, also necessitating the switch to assault rifle as opposed to his preferred weapon. With the more complicated tactics these Geth were displaying, his biotics were proving less efficient, coupled with the fact he couldn’t come out of cover for long enough to use the dark energy properly.

Both men did their best to draw the attention of the Geth, succeeding on most of their number. Shepard accepted that they couldn’t get all of them, enacting the next phase of her plan.

Shepard breathed deeply a few times to prepare herself, reinforcing her barrier with everything she had. She motioned to Tali, positioning the Quarian in front of her and pointing to a door a few metres behind their position. It was their only hope of getting in a position where it would even be slightly possible to take down the Primes without being severely injured. A tap on Tali’s shoulder jumped both women into action.

Shepard protected them both with a heavy barrier, concentrating all of her strength into holding it firm. Her body completely hid the Quarian from the Geth’s view, further protecting the engineer. Some of the Geth that had been concentrating on Garrus and Wrex began to attack the two out of cover, dark blue ripples cascading through Shepard’s barrier. They managed to make it back to the door, getting through to the other side.

It had proved the right decision, not even a single Geth on the other side. What Shepard expected to be a series of rooms they’d have to fight through as well, was just another walkway, running along the opposite side of the station. They immediately advanced along it, keeping weapons high, ready for any sort of Geth counterattack against Shepard’s plan.

The Geth’s defence reacted to her plan quicker than Shepard was expecting, several troops sidestepping through the openings and firing on the two of them. Both responded immediately, blasting apart any synthetic who dared show its face. They marched down the hallway quickly, leaving smoking ruins of Geth behind them. Shepard tossed several over the edge, hearing them splash down in the water below and cease functioning. The water that covered the ground seemed to be not quite deep enough to give the Geth any protection from the fall.

Both of them were soon forced into cover as one of the Geth Primes stepped into their line of sight, firing its huge weapon at them. The blast sent cracks running through the small wall they hid behind. It wouldn’t last long, only a couple more shots from the synthetic and they’d be toast. Shepard frantically came up with a plan, finally settling on one she thought had about a fifty percent chance of working. The other fifty percent led to her with a large hole in her chest, but she’d just have to deal with it if that was the outcome.

Shepard rolled from cover, leaping to her feet and charging straight at the Prime. It fired, Shepard sidestepping the blast, only possible due to her biotics sharpening her reflexes. She glowed with blue dark energy as she continued with her plan. She closed on the Geth even as it began to back away, continuing to fire on the advancing adversary. She continued her sprint even as other Geth came from the doorways at her left, attempting to take her down before she could get to their larger brethren. Each one was taken out of the equation by either a quick biotic jab, or from Tali’s shotgun, who’d begun to move further up behind, while Shepard held the Prime’s attention.

Shepard leapt from side to side, confusing the Prime as she finally got within the range she needed to enact her plan. Soaring into the air, her foot came rushing around, slamming into the side of the Geth’s head and leaving a large dent on it. She maintained her height with a quick shockwave towards the ground from her hand, both staggering the Prime and propelling her up just that little bit more. As she sailed over the robot’s head, Shepard reached out, seizing hold of an antenna with one hand and its head with the other. She'd managed to land directly on top of it, exactly where she wanted to be.

Her forwards momentum allowed her to plant both feet on its back with some force, almost causing the Prime to topple over. As it were, the Geth managed to maintain its feet, immediately dropping its weapon and reaching up to grab the Human. Shepard ducked and weaved around the hands, letting go of the Geth’s head and grabbing its wrist as it reached one more time for her. She squeezed, crushing the metal and wires in her grip. Once she felt the metal was sufficiently weakened, the Commander yanked her hand up, tearing the hand off along with a significant proportion of the Geth’s forearm.

Geth came in from the doors in the wall, trying to aim at the Human currently accosting the Prime. Shepard deliberately moved her body back and forth, using the Prime’s antenna to prevent a clear shot. None of the small Geth took the shot, just as Shepard had predicted. They would not have hesitated with one of the smaller Geth to shoot through their comrade, but the Primes were significantly more important. Not only was their firepower far greater, they also held more Geth programs, enhancing any Geth within close proximity. They could not afford to lose the huge platform under any circumstance if they had a chance to get rid of the invading squad.

The Prime continued its efforts to dislodge the Commander, throwing its body side to side in an attempt to shake her hold. It proved ineffective, Shepard only tightening her grip on the antenna she held in her fist. With her free hand, she began to lay into the more exposed wiring at the base of the synthetic’s head. Soon, she had damaged them enough to allow her to grab several of the wires, tearing them away and expose the inner workings of the Geth.

Tali dealt with the smaller Geth as they came through, blasting them apart with her shotgun now that she was close enough to use it properly. They were far more focused on getting rid of Shepard, and only occasionally paying attention to the Quarian. Tali used this to her advantage, sneaking ever closer to the Prime and overloading Geth from point blank range. She was surprised that the Geth were not attempting to take her down. This group would soon overcome this shortcoming in their tactics, but hopefully not before the squad could take them all down.

Shepard drew her pistol, the weapon still opening up to its full size even as she held it up high. With one swift motion and a not insignificant amount of biotic force, she shoved the weapon into the hole she’d created in the side of the Prime’s neck. She pulled the trigger as fast as she possibly could, shredding apart the Prime’s innards. Lights all over the Geth’s body began to shut down, but it just wouldn’t topple over, no matter how much damage Shepard was able to do to its insides. Her pistol soon overheated, pulling the trigger only causing superheated gas to vent out the sides. That would do nothing to the Geth. The pistol came free, put back in its place on Shepard’s hip.

The Commander reached for her shotgun, but somehow the Geth was ready for the movement. It managed to rear back, causing Shepard’s feet to lose their grip on its back. She slid down, barely managing to brace her feet onto the Prime’s hips. Her new position was not particularly helpful in taking the Prime down. She held on for dear life as the Geth began to shake itself even more violently from side to side. Shepard released one hand, still holding onto the antenna with the other. Using the movement to her advantage, the Human swung her fist into the Prime’s side, denting the armour there, hoping to weaken it.

With another punch, Shepard was satisfied enough, quickly calling out, “Tali! Shotgun!” In one smooth motion, the Quarian pulled her pistol free while tossing her shotgun through the air. Shepard caught the weapon, immediately moving it into position directly above the armour she’d weakened. Pulling the trigger once, she put a hole in it. The second hold blasted apart the underlying wires and metal. Shepard shoved the weapon inside and rotated till it was pointing somewhat upwards before pulling the trigger again. More lights went out. Another shot was the one that finally did it.

The lamp on the front of the Prime’s head was finally snuffed out as its chest cavity was completely torn apart by shotgun blasts. Shepard leapt off as it collapsed forward, rolling into a crouch and blasting another Geth with the weapon she still held. She quickly tossed it back to Tali, pulling her own shotgun into her hands and continuing on their way.

Wrex and Garrus now had an easier time advancing on the Geth. Nearly half of them were preoccupied on the other side of the building with Tali and Shepard, leaving them far more room to work with. They still had the two Primes to deal with, but they hoped to make short work of them when they got close enough. Or at least Wrex would be able to rip them apart with his bare hands.

The moment he was confident with it, Wrex came out of cover, rapidly switching to his shotgun and charging the nearest Geth. One shot to the head and it was deactivated, now a perfect shield for the Krogan. He picked it up, slowly marching on the Geth’s lines even as they fired upon him. Garrus took the opportunity to switch back to his sniper, now having ample time to aim properly and make the precise strikes he was used to. His first three shots took out one Geth each, beginning to leave piles of smoking metal all along the building.

Wrex held on to his impromptu shield for as long as he could, finally having to get into proper cover when it was nearly disintegrated in his hand. Before he did, he threw the synthetic carcass as hard as he could at one of the Primes, managing to stagger the huge Geth and getting a blast of his shotgun in before finally having to duck into cover. He felt the Prime’s retaliation crash into his cover, already sending cracks through it from a single shot. Those weapons were meant to take down tanks and the Geth could fire a shot every few seconds. His cover wouldn’t last long.

Garrus continued his accurate massacre of the synthetics, exploding their heads in quick fashion. Finally, only the two primes were left, but his sniper was also overheated. The Turian knew he’d be unable to fire for at least ten seconds, so he’d need to cover Wrex with something else, or the Krogan was sure to be heavily injured. He pulled his pistol free, aiming for the lamp on the head of the Prime on the left. A quick salvo of three shots all found their marks, destroying half the Geth’s optics. It turned on Garrus’ position immediately, seeming to ignore Wrex entirely.

Before Garrus knew what was happening, the Prime crouched ever so slightly down, tucking its arms into its sides. With a speed he’d never seen from a synthetic, the Geth charged, covering half the distance between them in barely more than two seconds. Garrus just managed to get his assault rifle free, firing on the Geth even as it continued to charge him. It didn’t even pay attention to the cover the Turian was hiding behind, putting one of its knees straight through it, even as one shoulder collided with the exact centre of Garrus’ chest.

The Turian was thrown backwards, landing hard on his back, his rifle skidding on the ground away from him. He looked up just in time to see the Geth extricate itself from the ruin of the cover it had imbedded itself in, already turning on Garrus and reading itself to attack. He did the only thing he could do in the absence of a weapon and the inability to get one out fast enough. Garrus scrambled to his feet, running straight for the Prime and leaping straight at it, tackling it with all of his weight. The synthetic’s weapon went skidding away as the two of them tumbled to the ground, Garrus quickly getting atop it and punching straight down into its already damaged optics. He managed to get several solid hits in before the Geth managed to throw him off once more, the Turian using the momentary stop to retrieve his assault rifle.

The Prime stumbled back to its feet, its head turning uselessly. Garrus had completely destroyed all of its visual sensors, rendering it blind to its surroundings. He unloaded into its chest, staying at range as the synthetic swung its huge arms around in an attempt to strike him. Finally, it fell to its knees as the damage became too great to continue. Garrus walked up, planting his boot into the Prime’s chest and shoving it back onto the ground. He fired one last barrage into its chest, the Geth shutting down with a whine of machinery.

While Garrus had held the attention of one Prime, Wrex had the other. He’d blocked several of the synthetic’s blasts with his biotic barrier, deflecting them away from hitting him directly more than anything. He’d managed to get close enough to prevent the Geth from using the weapon at all, currently wrestling with the Prime for it. Wrex used his biotically-enhanced strength to turn it away, firing the weapon out over Virmire, the blast streaking through the sky to land off in the distance.

Wrex twisted his arms, ripping the tank-busting weapon away from the Geth, landing a full force punch in its chest. The Prime came off its feet, landing hard on its back. The Krogan instantly turned the weapon upon its former owner, firing into the direct centre of its chassis. The Prime exploded in a fiery ball of metal, smoke rising from the ruins of its body. Wrex tossed the now useless weapon to the ground, gripping his shotgun tightly in his hands once more.

The squad regrouped once all the Geth were dealt with, eyeing the door into the control room for the AA guns. Shepard led them forward, slowing as they got closer to the door. She knew there were a few Geth on the other side, and would really prefer for the synthetics to not get the jump on them. She placed herself next to the controls for the door, the other three crouching into ready positions.

The moment the door opened, all four of them unloaded on the Geth inside, quickly tearing the meagre defence apart. Compared to their forces outside, these were frankly pathetic, only five troopers for their last line of defence. Shepard strode in the moment they were all down, quickly scanning the room for additional hostiles. Finding none, she walked over to the controls for the Geth AA cannons.

Tali came up next to her, quickly setting to work on shutting it down. The Quarian stopped suddenly, turning to a confused Shepard, “Maybe we shouldn’t shut them down.”

The Commander thought for a moment, “You’ve got another idea?”

Tali nodded, “Destroy them. If the Geth have any forces we don’t get rid of before we get to Saren, they could just come back here and restart the guns. That leaves the Normandy vulnerable.”

Shepard got back to her feet, removing several grenades from her side and placing them on the console. “Good plan.” She marched away, the squad following quickly after her. “Garrus, if you’d do the honours?”

“Sure thing.” The Turian took aim for barely a second with his sniper before firing. The AA gun’s console exploded with a fireball, the blast coming close enough to them for them to feel the heat. When it died down, there was nothing but flaming wreckage in the console’s place.

Shepard nodded with satisfaction at their efforts, making their way past destroyed Geth on the way back down to the Mako. Destroying the AA gun had also opened the gate blocking their way further on with the tank. The Mako’s wheels spun into gear through the water covering the ground as she accelerated them towards their next target.

They were met with even more Geth as they came closer to the second AA gun emplacement, Shepard using the Mako’s small jets to just barely dodge several blasts from Armatures. Drones fired on them from on high, a nuisance they couldn’t afford but also were incapable of doing anything about. The synthetics were too thick to allow Garrus to do what he’d done previously and take them out by leaning out the small windows that the Mako had.

She had to improvise if they were going to survive this. Even while driving the Mako at max speed and with her foot to the floor, Shepard came up with a plan. That plan would either involve the Mako being crushed into a pancake, take out the drones, or at least give them some obstacles to prevent the continued damage of their shields and subsequently the armour. Shepard operated the main gun controls with one hand, the steering wheel with the other. The Commander drifted the Mako in a large circle, rounding up the drones into a single clump, forcing them into nearly the same position. All the while, she fired the main gun at them, narrowly missing the quick movements of the synthetics.

Once she was satisfied that the Geth would follow the Mako wherever she drove, she slammed the tank into reverse. The Mako sped backwards, running over Geth troopers even as Shepard fired into the cloud of drones. It passed between a huge pillar of rock and a wall, continuing to fire at the drones. Just as they were about to pass through the space, Shepard turned her weapon’s attention to the pillar, firing at its base with everything the Mako had. The rock exploded apart as the shells impacted, the pillar toppling over sideways. All but two drones were caught up in the collapse, being crushed under tons of stone.

Shepard spun the Mako back to the right direction, flooring the accelerator once more and leaving the remaining drones behind.

The second AA gun tower came into view, the Geth defending the front of it taken down with a few shots from the Mako. The balcony that ran along the side was soon filled with Geth, all firing down at the approaching tank. Shepard opened fire, not caring for a second of the structural damage she was doing to the building. Cracks rank all through the walls, much of the balcony’s railing shattering into small pieces as she continued the barrage. A Prime managed to get a few shots onto the Mako’s shield, nearly taking it down all the way before it was dismembered by the tank’s main gun.

Shepard stopped firing, the checkpoint a smoking ruin. Much of the structure was very close to collapsing under its own weight, but the AA gun itself was still standing firm. They’d have to get in closer to destroy it properly. There was also the large gate that still blocked their way, and hopefully that would come down like the last one did once the guns on the top of the place were taken down.

The Commander hopped out of the Mako, stalking towards the building while scanning the area for any remaining Geth. One of them whined on the ground, trying to pull itself towards a weapon without the use of its legs, its long fingers creating deep gouges in the soft soil beneath it. Shepard walked over, blasting a hole through its chest with her assault rifle.

Climbing the rubble towards the control room, Shepard cautiously hit the button to open it, relieved to find it empty of any Geth presence. The synthetics had sent every asset from the place to attempt to hold them off it seemed. She almost started planting grenades like with the previous AA gun, but relented, fearing that it may destabilise the entire facility and cause a cascade of structural failures that would render it impossible to pass with the Mako. That would ruin the entire mission before they even got remotely close to their true goal.

“Tali, how tough is Geth hardware? Could we destroy the console with just our weapons? Don’t want to run the risk of blocking the Mako’s path.”

Tali pondered the question for a moment, looking over the console in front of them. She squatted down, feeling around the edges before finding the seam she was looking for. With a practiced flick of a small, flat tool she’d created from her omni-tool, a panel popped off the side of the machinery. She pulled out her shotgun, pushing the barrel inside and angling it for a few seconds until she was finally satisfied with it. Turning her face away to prevent any shrapnel from damaging her relatively fragile visor, she fired. The console’s screen turned completely white for barely more than a second before finally turning off completely. Small bits of metal and firing came out towards Tali’s hand over her weapon, fast enough that they might have damaged her suit if she had not reinforced her shield at the exact right moment. Wrenching her shotgun back out, she stowed it on her lower back once more.

The Quarian turned back to Shepard with a smile the Human could just barely see through her visor, “Yeah. Easy.”

The squad followed Tali out, all piling back into the Mako. Just as with the last one, the gate blocking their passage had come down with the destruction of the AA gun’s controls. Shepard accelerated through, wondering how many Geth there would be to defend the final obstacle in their path towards Saren’s base.

Their path to the final checkpoint was somewhat quieter than previous. The Geth weren’t as thick here, which made absolutely no sense to Shepard. It was almost as though they’d pulled back further in, which would make some sense tactically, but this seemed like it was too much. There wouldn’t have even been half the number that they’d faced previously. The drones’ numbers were particularly noticeable, barely a third of their previous strength.

Shepard cautiously drove the Mako on, trying to prepare for any sort of surprise attack. None came, not even when they arrived at the last AA gun did the Geth attack with any sort of proper resistance. There was some fire from the emplacement itself, but nothing that would even possibly slow them down.

The Commander hopped out of the Mako, charging through the building with ease. The Geth provided very little resistance, their tactics sloppy as the squad carved through their numbers. They were very quickly confronted with the control room, Tali once more dismantling the console and leaving only a mess of metal and wires for any possible Geth reinforcement to find. Shepard tossed a grenade into the room from near the stairs to the ground for good measure, shredding the hardware even further.

The moment the AA gun was down, Shepard radioed through to the Normandy, “Joker, you are good to land at the Salarian camp. Last defence tower is down.”

“ _Aye, aye, Commander. See you there._ ”

Wrex voiced what they’d all been thinking, “I don’t like this… it was too easy.”

Shepard nodded in agreement, “Hopefully the Geth don’t have anything nasty hiding for us.” She only got a grin from the Krogan, “Or hopefully they do. Depends on whether you like that sort of surprise.”

“Come on Shepard, surprises are what keep us sharp.” Wrex barked out laughter at the situation they found themselves in.

Shepard only shook her head in amusement, climbing back into the Mako and driving towards the Salarian’s camp.

 

* * *

 

**Wednesday, 12:40pm, 13 th of January 2183**

**Salarian Camp, Virmire, Hoc System**

 

Shepard drove the Mako around a large rock, glad to find the Normandy safely landed just outside the Salarian’s camp. She jumped out of the tank at the edge, making her way closer to where she could see Ashley arguing with one of the Salarians.

“And what are we supposed to do now? Twiddle our thumbs while Saren sends a goddamn army at us?”

The Salarian narrowed his eyes, his annoyance at the Gunnery Chief obvious to everyone, “Stay put until we can come up with a plan.”

Shepard marched into the middle of the two, Ashley instantly turning to her, “Can you talk some sense into them, Commander? We’re sitting ducks the longer we stay here.”

The Commander glanced at Ashley with a raised eyebrow before turning to the Salarian, “I’m Commander Shepard. I assume you’re in charge here?”

The Salarian nodded, “I’m Captain Kirrahe, Third Infiltration Regiment STG.” Kirrahe was obviously glad to be talking to someone of higher rank than the Chief. Shepard had always had better luck talking to people not of her own species than other Humans did, and Ashley’s predisposition to thinking of them all as ‘aliens’ and not as people probably didn’t help her in those situations. “You and your crew have just landed right in the middle of a hot zone. Every AA gun within 10 miles has been alerted to your presence.”

“Yes, we took out a few on the way here. Only way we were able to land.” Shepard thought for a moment, “Any suggestions on what to do while we wait for the heat to die down and get in closer with our ship?”

The Captain straightened up, nodding emphatically, “We stay put until the Council sends the reinforcements we requested.”

Shepard rubbed at the back of her neck, quickly realising what had happened. Kaidan voiced her thoughts before she had a chance, “We _are_ the reinforcements.”

The look of confidence on Kirrahe’s features faded almost instantaneously, “What?! You’re all they sent?! I told them to send a fleet! One ship and a few soldiers aren’t enough to take this place out. And believe me, we’re going to want to wipe it out of existence.”

Shepard came in before anyone else had a chance to speak and possibly make the situation worse, “Your transmission was almost completely intelligible. The Council couldn’t get any information aside from the fact that you had a location on Saren and also a possible location for his main base of operations. We were sent to investigate.”

The Salarian sighed, “That is a repetition of our task. I lost half my men ‘investigating’ this place.” He began to pace back and forth, agitated at the news he’d been presented with, “This is indeed Saren’s main base of operations. He’s set up a gigantic research facility, but it’s crawling with Geth and extraordinarily well fortified. Getting even this close to it was a monumental task.”

“Is Saren here? Have you seen him?” Shepard was honestly excited at this turn of events. If Saren was actually here, they could it end the whole mission here and now.

Unfortunately, Shepard’s excitement was almost immediately quashed with a shake of Kirrahe’s head, “No. But his Geth are everywhere as I’m sure you’ve noticed, and we’ve intercepted communications referring to him. Our best guess is that he is indeed here, but we have yet to confirm that data. This is indeed his facility though, no doubt about that.”

“What’s he researching? What could he need this whole place for?”

A grim expression crossed over the Salarian’s face, “He’s using it to breed an army of Krogan.” He said it so matter-of-factly that there was no possibility he might have been mistaken.

Wrex was almost immediately among them, getting a little too close to the Salarian, “How is that possible?”

Kirrahe backed away a step, coughing with nervousness before answering, “According to our reconnaissance, Saren has discovered a cure to the Genophage.”

Shepard glanced at Wrex, seeing the rage etched into his face. She had to pick her words very carefully here, or this could turn south very fast. “With a Krogan army and the Geth, he’d be practically unstoppable.” If her reading of Wrex’s expression was anything to go by, her words hadn’t angered him more, but they had also done nothing to quell it.

“My thoughts exactly.” Kirrahe continued, either unaware of Wrex’s current state of hostility or choosing to ignore it, “We must ensure this entire facility and its secrets are destroyed for good.”

If he wasn’t aware of it then, Wrex made sure he knew it now, “Destroyed? Yeah, that’s not happening. My people are dying. We need this cure and we need it now.”

Kirrahe turned his attention back to Shepard, but she could see his eyes flitting to Wrex every few seconds, “If that cure leaves this planet, the Krogan will become unstoppable once more. We can’t make that same mistake again.”

Wrex was in his face in less than a second, shoving him hard enough in the chest to send the Salarian stumbling back a step, “WE ARE NOT A MISTAKE!” His roar silenced everyone around them, all eyes turning to the huge Krogan in their midst.

Before Shepard even had a chance to calm him down, Wrex stomped off through and out of the camp. Everyone stared after him for several moments, Kirrahe was the first one to break the silence, turning back to Shepard, “Is he going to be a problem? We’ve already got enough angry Krogan to deal with. One more isn’t going to help matters.”

Shepard swallowed, wondering how she was going to do this, “He’ll be fine. I’ll talk to him.” Her confidence was not nearly as high as her tone suggested. She knew the issue of the Genophage was a more than sensitive subject to all Krogan, but it seemed even more so for Wrex. He could see that what had been done to the Krogan was a huge injustice, and would fight anyone who dared say otherwise, no matter what happened to him. What was a general problem to all Krogan was almost personal for Wrex, or at least, that’s how it seemed?

“I’d appreciate that, Commander. My men and I need to rethink our plan of attack now that we know we’re not getting any further reinforcements. Can you give us some time?”

Shepard nodded, “I’ll talk to Wrex in the meantime.” Kirrahe walked off, Shepard turning to look at Wrex. The Krogan was standing a small way beyond the edge of the camp, facing away with shotgun in hand. This would have to be handled delicately if it wasn’t going to end in one of them being shot.

She motioned to Tali and Garrus, the two of them falling into step behind her, talking to them in a hushed voice, “I’m going to do my best to talk him down, but be ready if things start getting out of hand.”

They’d barely made it halfway to him before the sound of Wrex’s shotgun echoed all around them. A huge plume of water shot up in front of him where the shell penetrated the water. Shepard didn’t think she’d ever seen him this angry. She could understand it of course. This might be the Krogan’s one shot at being cured, but they had to consider their mission here. Saren needed to be stopped, and destroying the facility would go a long way towards that goal.

Wrex heard them coming, not even turning to face Shepard as he started speaking. Tali and Garrus remained a bit further back, Garrus circling around so that they had the Krogan covered from three sides. “This isn’t right Shepard. If there’s a cure for the Genophage, we can’t just destroy it. My people need it. _I need it_.”

“I get that. I do. But we need to focus on the mission here, Wrex. Saren is the enemy. We can’t let him have any advantage, even if we have to destroy everything he’s learned here.”

The Krogan turned to face her, staring for a few seconds before pacing slowly toward her, “He’s the enemy? Between you and him, which one of you cured the Genophage, hmmm? And which one of you wants to destroy it? Help me out here, Shepard. The line between friend and foe is getting real blurry from where I’m standing.”

Shepard was hurt, if she was honest. She thought that she’d earned Wrex’s friendship and loyalty, but none of that seemed to matter now. The possibility of a Genophage cure made her the enemy. She understood Wrex’s position, but she knew they had to destroy it all. She thought for a second before speaking, “Wrex, this isn’t a cure. It’s a tool for Saren. If we let him use it, unleash the Krogan on the galaxy once more, you won’t be around to reap the benefits. None of us will. Can’t you see we have to destroy it?”

Wrex growled, getting closer than he already was, “And that’s a chance we should we willing to take. This is the fate of my entire people we’re talking about!” He got within a few inches of Shepard’s face, “I’ve been loyal to you so far. Hell, you’ve done more for me than even my own family ever did.” Before she could even react, Wrex pulled out a shotgun, pointing it squarely at her chest, “If I’m going to keep following you, I need to know we’re doing all this for the right reasons.”

Shepard stood completely still, staring down the barrel of the weapon. She could feel a bead of sweat roll down her forehead, dripping off to hit her armour. Her mind filled with plans and ideas, trying to come up with a way to diffuse the situation. She settled on one, hoping against all odds that it would work, “The right reasons? You think I want to destroy it? You think I want to destroy the only hope the Krogan people have had for the last millennia?”

“I don’t know. There’s a lot of things people will do when there’s everything on the line. How do I know what you want?”

“Well, how about this then. Do you want your people to be slaves to Saren? Because that’s exactly what you’ll get if this gets out. How do you know Saren hasn’t twisted all of them into mindless servants?”

“It would be better than millions of Krogan children not even taking their first breaths, BEFORE DYING IN THEIR MOTHER’S ARMS!” Wrex’s voice rose to echo off the surrounding rock. Shepard had definitely hit a nerve with that.

“What, so you’d rather every Krogan be a tool of Saren, than have their own free will?” Shepard was becoming exasperated with Wrex. She had to make him see. “What kind of life is that? I’ll tell you, its fucking not. It’s a meaningless existence, and you’d only be putting more evil in the galaxy than there already is.”

“AT LEAST WE’D BE ALIVE! INSTEAD OF DWINDLING AWAY INTO NOTHING! THIS WAS OUR PRIZE FOR SAVING ALL OF YOU! BEING NEUTERED AND DRIVEN TOWARDS EXTINCTION!”

“Is that what you really think Wrex?” Shepard was close to yelling herself now, “If there was any other way, even the tiniest possible minute way that we could get this cure without giving Saren an army, I’d do it.”

“BULLSHIT!”

Shepard did possibly the stupidest thing she’d ever done in her life. She grabbed the front of Wrex’s shotgun, pulling it and him forward with her biotic strength, pressing the barrel hard up against her forehead and holding it there. “If you really think so fucking little of me, Wrex, pull the fucking trigger. End me. End this whole mission right here and now. Let Saren get his army. Let every Krogan present and future become a tool for him to wipe out everyone in the galaxy.” Her display had actually managed to stagger the Krogan. She capitalised on it, yelling at the top of her lungs, “PULL THE TRIGGER WREX! GO ON! KILL ME!”

Wrex didn’t move a single muscle for at least a minute. Shepard could practically hear the thoughts racing through his head. She saw something change in his eyes, if not a complete removal of the hostility found there, at least a reduction in it. “No.” The word was practically growled out, “We were tools of the Council once. And they neutered us all for it. I doubt Saren will be so generous when he’s finished with us.” Shepard felt his arms relax, releasing the tension in her own and slowly lowering them back to her sides. Wrex pulled the shotgun away, moving its barrel to point at the ground with one hand. “All right, Shepard. You’ve made your point. I don’t like this, but I trust you enough to follow your lead.” He began to turn away, but stopped and took a step closer to the Commander, “Just one thing. When we find that Turian bastard… I want his fucking head.”

“Deal.” Once Wrex was out of earshot, Shepard released a sigh of relief. She rubbed at the red ring on her forehead from where she’d pushed the shotgun so hard into her skin.

Shepard returned to a relieved looking Captain Kirrahe, the Salarian obviously having listened to the entire exchange between the Human and Krogan, “Thank you for talking the Krogan down, Commander. The assault on Saren’s research facility will be difficult enough as it is.”

“Assault? I assume you’ve got a plan then.”

The Salarian nodded, “After a fashion, yes. We can convert our ship’s drive core into a twenty-kiloton ordinance. Crude, but it should be more than enough to wipe out Saren’s base.” He crossed his arms over his chest, “We would drop it from orbit, save the whole need for an assault, but the AA guns will rip any ship that gets close enough to shreds. We’ll need to place it in a specific location if this plan is going to work.”

“And that is?”

“The bomb must be taken to the far side of the facility. Your ship can drop it off, but we’ll need to infiltrate the base, disable all the AA guns and remove any ground forces before even attempting that.”

Shepard thought for a moment. She could see a glaring hole in the Salarian’s plan, one she sincerely hoped they’d thought of. “Their numbers will be far too great for us to use a head on assault. They’ll cut us down before we even get close.”

“True enough. But I think we can work around that. I’ll divide my men into three teams and hit the front of the facility hard. While we’ve got their attention, you can sneak your ‘shadow’ team in the back.”

“That’s a suicide mission. Your team will be slaughtered.” Shepard was astounded that he’d even thought of this sort of plan. He was going to sacrifice everyone just to ensure this mission had a chance of succeeding.

A grim smile creased Kirrahe’s features, “We’re tougher than we look, Commander. But, it’s true. I don’t expect many of us to make it out alive.” The smile disappeared, “And that makes what I’m about to ask even more difficult. I need one of your men to accompany me. To help coordinate the teams.”

That sent Shepard silent. The plan was solid, even if it would involve sacrificing all of the Salarians. But sending one of her own crew with them? She knew it was necessary, but it would still be an also tough decision to make. “Can I have a minute with my crew?”

“Of course, Commander, but we do need to get moving. Saren won’t leave us alone much longer.”

Shepard walked away, all of her crew assembling around her. Before she even had a chance to say anything, Kaidan piped up, “Captain Kirrahe’s right Commander, we need both teams at their best if we’re going to pull this off. I volunteer.”

Ashley interrupted him, “Not so fast LT. Shepard will need help to arm the nuke. I’ll go with the Salarians.”

Kaidan narrowed his eyes at Ashley, “With all due respect, Gunnery Chief, it’s not your place to decide.”

The Chief threw up her hands, “Why is it whenever someone says, ‘with all due respect’ they really mean ‘kiss my ass’?”

Shepard threw both of them a hard look, “And with all due respect to both of you, it’s neither of your place to decide.”

She thought quickly through their options. Wrex was a no go, considering the display he’d just put on and the distrust Salarians had to Krogans in general. Garrus would be a good choice, but Shepard sensed that he wasn’t exactly used to leading his own squad. If he didn’t know the people, it would probably make him a inferior choice. So Garrus was also not an option. Tali was definitely not going. The Quarian would be far too useful within the facility and she wasn’t exactly a leader from what Shepard had seen. She had potential, but this wasn’t the place to test her. Liara had a similar problem to Tali, no indication she was prepared to lead soldiers into battle.

That only left Kaidan and Ashley, the only ones to volunteer for it. Ashley had the capability and skill to do it, Shepard knew that. The Gunnery Chief had proven she had the skill to lead, so the only question was whether she was the right choice. Then again, she’d known Kaidan for years. He’d been through thick and thin with her, missions where she’d lead them through absolute hell. And Shepard had read mission reports where he’d been leading, thoroughly impressed with what they’d said.

She knew who she’d choose.

“Kaidan, go with the Salarians.” Ashley almost began to argue her order, but a stern look from the Commander silenced her immediately. She returned to Kirrahe, “Lieutenant Alenko will accompany your team, Captain.”

“Very good. I will have the ordinance loaded onto the Normandy and brief your crew on its detonation sequencing. Anything else before we move out, Commander?”

“Nothing.”

“Excellent. Then if you’ll excuse me, I need to prepare my men.”

As Kirrahe walked away, Kaidan turned to the Shepard and Ashley, “Don’t do anything stupid till I get back, Commander. You too, Chief.”

Shepard grinned, “Wouldn’t let you miss out on it Lieutenant. Your reactions are half the fun.”

Ashley punched Kaidan lightly in the shoulder, “We’ll be fine. Shepard will see us through.”

Kaidan looked down, “I know. Just… good luck.” He looked back up at Shepard, locking eyes with her, “Bit weird going under someone else’s command. Too used to yours I guess, Commander.”

“Don’t sound so down, Kaidan. We’ll see you on the other side.” Shepard wasn’t completely certain of that, considering the odds they were about to face, but she didn’t need to tell Kaidan that.

“I know.” He straightened up, saluting his commanding officer, “It’s been an honour serving with you all these years, Commander.”

Shepard returned the salute, “You too, Lieutenant.” She turned to the rest of the assembled squad, “We’ve got our work cut out for us. Strike them hard, strike them fast. We’ve got Saren cornered. We’ve just got to make sure that bastard doesn’t get away. Fight like I know you all can, and we’ll finish this here and now. Keep your eyes open, watch each other’s backs and we’ll all come out of this in one piece.” Every member of the squad saluted her, the Commander returning the gesture, “Let’s move out. Tali, Wrex and Garrus. You’re with me. Ash and Liara, make sure that bomb is ready to deploy when we need it to. Get it into position as soon as I radio through.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The simultaneous replies came from Ashley and Liara, the two women nodding at each other before heading off in the direction of the Normandy together. Shepard led her chosen squad and Kaidan towards Kirrahe and his men, stopping short and watching the Captain give his own speech to rouse the Salarians into a battle-ready vigour.

Captain Kirrahe stood in front of his assembled men, slowing looking across the line and maintaining eye contact with each one for several seconds, “You all know the mission and what is at stake. I have come to trust each one of you with my life, but I have also heard murmurs of discontent. I share your concerns.” He walked slowly forward, pacing back and forth along the front line, “We are trained for espionage. We would be legends, but the records are sealed. Glory in battle is not our way.” He paused for a moment, letting the words sink in, “Think of our heroes: the Silent Step, who defeated a nation with a single shot. Or the Ever Alert, who kept armies at bay with hidden facts. These giants do not seem to give us solace here, but they are not all that we are. Before the network, there was the fleet. Before diplomacy, there were soldiers.” His voiced rose in timbre, echoing off the rocks around them, “Our influence stopped the Rachni, but before that, we held the line! Our influence stopped the Krogan, but before that, we held the line!” Shepard could hear Wrex grind his teeth slightly at that particular phrase, but he kept his mouth shut. “Our influence will stop Saren! In the battle today, we will hold the line!”

Shepard didn’t think she’d ever heard a Salarian battle-cry before, but she was certainly hearing one now. The Captain’s men yelled their readiness to the sky, raising weapons up in salute. They marched away, leaving only Kirrahe behind.

“Good luck, Commander. I hope we will meet again.” He too marched off, Kaidan following with them.

Tali came to Shepard’s side, watching all of them leave, “I think the Captain is better at giving speeches than you are Shepard. Is it too late to go with him instead?”

Shepard raised an eyebrow, “That hurts, Tali. Hurts deep.” She was met with a smile from the Quarian, the corner of her own lips curling upwards. “Besides, he may be better at speeches, but I’m way hotter.” She winked at Tali, leaving the engineer standing slightly flustered as she walked towards the Mako, yelling out to the squad, “Let’s get this show on the road. We’ve got a genocidal Turian to kill.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	11. Finding the Enemy, Part 2

**Wednesday, 1:20pm, 13 th of January 2183**

**Saren’s Base, Virmire, Hoc System**

 

It had only taken a short time for Shepard’s squad to get to the back of Saren’s facility. They’d had to leave the Mako behind, the tank far too large for the quickest path to their destination. Shepard had been almost glad to leave it. Her trigger finger was itching for some action, and the Mako didn’t quite provide what she wanted. Besides, confronting Saren himself on foot would be far more satisfying than blowing the smug Turian up with the main gun of the Mako from afar. At this point, it was almost personal.

Instead, Kaidan and the Salarians had taken the vehicle to help them in their assault on the front of the facility. A far better use of its firepower if Shepard was honest. If their plan worked, most of Saren’s forces would be drawn to the frontal attack, leaving the facility at large mostly undefended, or at the very least less so.

Shepard led the three of them along an overgrown jungle path, pushing through dense foliage as they got closer to the base. She held up a fist, stopping the other three, reaching forward and pushing leaves apart to reveal their surroundings. They were almost on Saren’s back door, a raised pathway stretching in front of them for some distance before hooking around a rock and out of sight. Geth were posted at regular intervals all along it, with a Prime stationed right at the end before it turned a corner. That would pose a problem.

There were only a few places they could take cover from the huge Geth’s barrage. And even then, each one would only last a few shots before disintegrating under the weapon’s might. They’d have to be incredibly efficient if they wanted to make it through unscathed.

Shepard was fairly certain she could deflect the Prime’s attacks if it came to it, but doing so would take up a lot of stamina, and she wasn’t entirely sure how many she could defend against before she was exhausted from the effort. Wrex had only managed two blasts at the AA gun on the way to the Salarian’s camp, and he’d said a third likely would’ve gotten through. Shepard was a more powerful biotic, but she doubted any more than three could be stopped, even by her.

There was only a single option. Charge straight toward the Prime and hopefully take it by surprise, before it could get a single shot off. Shepard relayed her plan, Wrex grinning at the idea of course. Tali was sceptical that it would work, but she believed in all of their skills enough to follow her order. Garrus only nodded, the Turian used to the almost suicidal orders that Shepard liked to give out.

Shepard held up her fist, counting down from five. She and Wrex would lead the charge, using their biotics to close on the Prime as rapidly as possible. Tali would follow close behind, taking out any Geth they came up to on the way. Garrus would stay back, firing on the Geth who tried to intervene.

“GO, GO, GO!” Shepard yelled at the top of her lungs, her and Wrex bursting from the undergrowth glowing with dark energy. They sprinted along the path, not even bothering to fire the shotguns in their hands, only lashing out with a well-placed punch here or there. Shepard’s fist carved through a Geth trooper, the synthetic having no chance to even attempt a defence. It spun in place before collapsing into a heap. Wrex managed to grab one of them while running, using his speed to toss it forward and send it careening into one of its friends, both of their armour shattering in the process.

Tali tried to follow as best she could, but couldn’t quite keep up with the speed of the two biotics. The recoil of her shotgun quickly lengthened the lead that the other two had on her, but the Quarian kept going, determined to stick to the plan. At every opportunity she had, Tali destroyed another Geth that dared to try to go after the Human and Krogan in front of her, or even tried to attack the Quarian herself. Her shotgun began to heat up in her hands, almost burning her even through the enviro-suit. Tali lashed out with the butt of her weapon, driving a Geth back who had gotten too close for her liking, quickly followed by a spray of pellets.

Garrus only took a few steps out of the undergrowth before sinking to a knee and beginning his massacre of the Geth forces. Every bullet from his sniper found its mark, the Turian not even giving himself time to savour the kill before moving onto the next target. Their heads became little more than shards of metal and fire, more Geth collapsing by the moment. When the other three of the squad had gained too much ground on them, the synthetics turned on the fourth at the start of the path. Garrus rapidly adjusted, reinforcing his shield with his omni-tool, barely even stopping his barrage. He felt a bullet from one of the Geth go through his armour on the outside of his arm, the offending robot quickly dispatched with a bullet to the chest. The pain only sharpened Garrus’ aim even more, speeding up his kills.

Shepard side-stepped a blast from the Prime, barely even slowing her pace down. She took that second of dodging to evaluate her surroundings. They were in a canyon of rock, towering walls of stone on either side of them. She came up with an idea to take the Prime down in the quickest way possible, and her showing off in the process was a nice bonus.

“WREX, GO LOW!”

The Krogan grunted, “GOT IT!”

When they were little more than ten metres away, Shepard sprung her plan. Leaping into the air, her feet came into contact with the wall, propelling herself along it in a feat of both gymnastic and biotic skill. All the while, she concentrated her dark energy to launch herself in the desired direction. Mid wall run, Shepard stowed her shotgun, freeing her hands for the next part.

“NOW!” Shepard turned her entire body on the wall, planting both feet and bending both legs before pushing off, releasing all of the pent-up dark energy coursing through her in the process. Her biotics catapulted her through the air, launching her entire body toward the Prime. Her hands came forward, aiming one at its head, the other at the top of its chest. Wrex roared his battle-cry, unleashing his own biotics, charging forward squatting down, wrapping his arms around the Prime’s legs. He lifted the whole synthetic off its feet in the process, putting it in a better position for Shepard.

The Prime’s sensors could not react fast enough, unsure of which adversary to fire upon. Before it had a chance to make up its mind, the organics had attacked, leaving it without a plan. Wrex had hit its legs with enough force to bend the armour on them, his arms further crushing the Geth’s defences. Shepard came in like a rocket, one fist colliding with the head of the Prime, the other crashing into the armour at the top of its chest. The head gave way under her blow, her fist passing through vital systems and destroying them in the process. Her other hand had hit right at the joint of two pieces of armour, passing between them and into the Prime’s innards.

The Prime was being pulled in two directions. Wrex was pushing its bottom half backwards, while Shepard had collided with its top and pushing it to the side. The integrity of the synthetic’s body rapidly failed, its midsection coming apart from the two separate forces. Shepard flipped over, landing on both feet and using her grip on the Prime’s insides to fully tear the Geth into two pieces. She wrenched her hands free of it by tossing the top half at the nearest trooper, sending it crashing to the ground. Wrex continued his path, helping with the bisection of their enemy, letting go of his half, only to grab it by the ankles as it went further beyond him. The Krogan bashed them into the nearest Geth before ripping them into two separate pieces, tossing them aside.

Garrus ran down the walkway to catch up with the other three, landing a heavy kick to a Geth who’d just managed to claw its way back to its feet. He spun, pulling his pistol out and sending one last bullet into the synthetic before it collapsed fully.

The squad regrouped, Shepard immediately moving off, not even giving them time to catch their breath. They needed to make use of the time they had and stopping would be counterproductive to that. The Commander followed the walkway around the corner, assault rifle at the ready for the adversaries she knew would inevitably be waiting for them further on.

She was proven right almost immediately, coming under fire before she’d made it even ten metres around the corner. Shepard didn’t stop, breaking into a run and pulling the trigger of her weapon with lethal efficiency. She could feel the Geth’s attacks bouncing off her barrier, the threat of injury not stopping her. She leapt into the air, sailing over several Geth’s heads, before coming down and slamming her fist into the ground. A biotic shockwave emanated from her landing point, catapulting the synthetics into the air. She spun around while still on one knee, deactivating them in mid-air before spinning back and getting to her feet.

Wrex sprinted past Shepard, leading with his shoulder. Every Geth he hit was taken from its feet and collapsed to the ground, the Krogan not even bothering to turn and take them out properly. Tali and Garrus followed behind, destroying the stunned synthetics that Wrex had already accelerated past. Wrex continued his path all the way to a small outpost of Geth, forced to dive into cover when the entrenched enemy fired on him with more firepower than his barrier or armour could easily handle.

Shepard, Tali and Garrus soon joined him, getting into cover beside him. Shepard poked her head out just enough to survey the Geth, the synthetics ignoring her in favour of continuing to blast away at their cover. All of them were up on a raised platform, a ramp at the far end of the small building the only way up to their position. The squad would be torn apart by gunfire before they’d even made it halfway there. That didn’t leave many options.

“Anyone got any ideas?” Shepard was honestly at a loss for how to proceed aside from retreating and hoping they found another path towards Saren’s base.

They were all silent for a few moments before Garrus yelled over the gunfire, “How many grenades do we have?” He didn’t wait for an answer quickly surveying each of them, “A few should be enough to collapse the whole structure.”

Shepard quickly looked again, noting that the entire structure only had one large supporting beam buried into the ground. “That just might work.” Enough of an explosion would destroy it for sure and send the Geth all tumbling to the ground, “Let’s do it.” They all pulled out two grenades each, pulling the pins and waiting for Shepard’s command, “On three.” They all turned to face the cover and get as accurate a throw as possible. “One… Two… THREE!”

All four of the squad popped up out of cover, throwing both of their grenades in rapid succession. The Geth realised what was happening too late, all missing the crucial shots that might have taken the squad down if they’d been more accurate. Shepard counted down the seconds in her head, the boom coming the instant she thought it would.

Almost daring the Geth to take a chance, Shepard shouldered her assault rifle and leapt over their cover, shooting at the Geth even as the structure began to collapse around them. The grenades had done their job, a huge chunk of concrete disintegrated from the support even as cracks raced away from the cavity the explosion had made. The entire thing began to collapse down, sending Geth tumbling to the ground metres below. Shepard slowly took steps forward, taking out frantic Geth as they attempted to maintain their footing on the crumbling floor beneath them.

Finally, the outpost fully collapsed, crushing the synthetics under tons of rubble. The squad could hear the whining of machinery as some of the Geth were still slightly operational beneath the ruins. All of them kept a careful watch as they moved past, ready to fire upon anything that might possibly pop out and attack. Nothing did, the sounds finally quieting enough that all they could hear was the sounds of nature around them and the distant sounds of the frontal assault on Saren’s facility.

Shepard led them on, pushing ever closer to Saren’s fortress. “Lieutenant, status report.”

Kaidan’s voice came crackling over their comms, accompanied by the sounds of heavy gunfire, “ _We’ve begun our assault. Facing heavy resistance, but no casualties so far. Can’t tell if this is everything Saren has, but it sure as hell feels like it. We’re taking a beating, but we’ll hold the line._ ”

“Understood, keep me posted.”

“ _Will do, Commander._ ”

“Shepard out.”

The four of them broke into a jog, speeding up their approach to the facility, mostly for the sake of their allies currently laying down their lives to give them a chance to even get close. The Geth’s numbers became thinner the closer they got to the facility. Shepard surmised that the ones closer to the base itself had been called to the front to defend against the Salarian’s offensive while the ones further away had been ordered to maintain position. Most likely because it would have taken them too long to get to the front to actually be of any use.

Shepard held up her fist, stopping the squad. She poked her head around the next corner, finally seeing their destination. The Salarian’s scans had been correct, a back entrance to Saren’s base was right in front of her, ready to be infiltrated by the four soldiers. Geth stood guard along with several Krogan, all on high alert. If her observation was correct, these Krogan were rather small, at least when compared to Wrex. Hopefully they’d go down much easier than any previous Krogan that they’d faced.

“Tali, Garrus, cover us.” She turned to the Krogan Battlemaster beside her, “I’ll take the left, you take the right.” Wrex only grinned back in response. “On my mark.” Shepard waited a few seconds, building up biotic energy within her body, “NOW!”

Both biotics ran around the corner, sprinting at their targets at full speed. Tali and Garrus came quickly after them, laying down covering fire and forcing the guards onto the defensive almost immediately. Geth’s weapons exploded in their hands while the Krogan roared frustration at the barrage of bullets from the Turian’s assault rifle.

Shepard unleashed her attack, a biotic charge propelling her through the air at incredible speed. At the last second, she twisted her body, planting both into one of the Krogan’s chests. All of the force she’d built up transferred into her target in a single instant. There was an audible groan of metal caving under the impact as his armour was crushed from the sheer force of her attack. The cacophony of bones snapping underneath that armour echoed through the Commander’s ears. The look of surprise on the Krogan’s face was rather satisfying, barely there for more than a tenth of a second before it was replaced by pain. He flew backwards at the same speed that Shepard he hit him with, colliding with Geth and taking them with him. The combined mass of organic and synthetic hit the wall of the facility on one side of the door with such extreme force, that it left a crater in the structure. They fell to the ground, all going still. The Krogan was dead and the Geth deactivated from that single attack.

As Shepard picked herself up off the ground and shouldered her assault rifle, Wrex reached his target, another Krogan. He was at least a foot taller than Saren’s soldier and would have been at least forty percent heavier. Wrex used his massive size advantage, crouching down and driving his shoulder into the other Krogan’s gut, wrapping his arms around his legs and lifting him off the ground. The Battlemaster’s enemy’s weapon flew from his hands in the impact, helpless as Wrex drove him back. The smaller Krogan attempted a counter attack, landing as heavy blows into Wrex’s back that he could muster. It had little effect, barely even eliciting a grunt from the elder Krogan.

Wrex kept pushing all the way to the base’s wall, finally stopping and throwing his enemy forward. Wrex threw a cross punch, shattering the bones in the other Krogan’s jaw in a single blow. He kept punching, breaking other bones with every attack. After several more, Saren’s Krogan was swaying on his feet, barely holding onto consciousness. Wrex seized the opportunity, getting behind him and grabbing a hold of him, one hand near the top of his armour, the other on his leg. Wrex bellowed with exertion, lifting the enemy over his head. The Krogan flailed uselessly in an attempt to stop him. Nothing worked.

Wrex raised his knee with his full strength at the same time as he brought the other Krogan down to meet it. The attack impacted in the centre of his smaller adversary’s back, a resounding crack echoing through Wrex’s ears. Saren’s soldier fell to the ground in a heap, seemingly shocked to find he was unable to move his legs. The terrified look on his face only further cemented Wrex’s opinion of the ‘Krogan’ that Saren had managed to produce. “You are no Krogan. You are nothing.” A blast to the face from Wrex’s shotgun ended any begging the enemy may have done in the face of inevitable death.

The rest of the guards fell in quick succession, leaving the way open to the base proper. Shepard wasn’t sure if this would lead inside the facility or just inside its outer defences. She waited till the squad was grouped up once more before cautiously moving toward their target.

Tali hacked through the terminal locking the door in record time, Shepard marching through and quickly scanning her new surroundings. They were still outside, but only having a short walkway before a door that she was sure would lead inside. She motioned for them all to move forward, all at the ready for any surprise attack.

As expected, Geth and Krogan made their presence known as they strode from the base, firing on the squad as they made their way closer in. Alarms instantly started blaring over speakers in the walls, announcing their presence to the entire facility.

Shepard and Garrus fired straight back at their enemy, forcing many of them into cover. Wrex and Tali crouched and moved further on, just dodging the bullets flying over their heads. As soon as they were in cover, Shepard and Garrus began to step forward slowly, both seamlessly switching targets as soon as their current one went down from their attack. Both of their assault rifles overheated at the same time, perfectly copying the others movements as they switched out to their pistols. The two were no less effective, still able to mount an effectual cover for their close-range companions.

Tali and Wrex got close enough that their shotguns would work properly, nodding at each other in preparation. Shepard and Garrus switched back to their once more ready assault rifles, giving the Quarian and Krogan the perfect opportunity. They leapt over their respective covers, Wrex immediately charging the nearest Krogan and slamming the butt of his shotgun into his face before ending his life with a shotgun shell to the stomach. Tali swung herself over with one hand, bringing her three-toed foot around to smash into a Geth’s head, staggering the synthetic and very nearly knocking it over. While it was still recovering, Tali fired her weapon into its chest, shattering straight through its armour with a single pull of her trigger.

While Wrex carved through the other members of his species, Tali dealt with the Geth on the fly. In between slugs from her shotgun, she was busy hacking through their shields and overloading their weapons with practiced ease. Her hacking skills, specifically when being used on Geth, had improved immeasurably since starting her Pilgrimage. They’d been at an extremely high level before, but using them in the field like this had sharpened her skills like no manual or teacher ever could.

While still firing her own weapon, Shepard watched the Quarian from the corner of her eye. Even after such a short time together, she could see how this mission had changed Tali. She could sense the fear coming off her on the Citadel a few short weeks ago, but even though it was still there now, it was tempered by experience and the knowledge of what to do when she came up against it. Shepard was impressed.

The last Geth went down as Wrex picked it up and tore one of its arms off with his bare hands, using the offending limb to beat it into deactivation. He threw it down when he was done, breathing just as hard as the other three. The alarm blaring over their heads brought them all back to reality, quickly rushing to the nearest console. Tali had it under her command in less than a minute, fingers flying over its controls.

The Quarian paused, considering their options, “I’ve got an idea, but it’s a bad one.”

Shepard gave a half smile, “Most of my ideas are bad Tali, what’ve you got?”

“I can turn off the alarms, no problem. But… I could set them off on the other side.” Shepard’s eyes widened at the prospect. “It’ll take the pressure of us, but… it could kill the Salarians… and Kaidan.”

Shepard couldn’t deny that the idea had merit, if she wasn’t so sure that it would definitely end in Kaidan’s and the Salarian’s deaths, she might have actually considered it. “Just turn them off. We can handle any additional forces inside. Their job is hard enough as it is.”

Tali was secretly glad Shepard had gone with this course of action. She had only suggested the other because it had been available, not on any expectation that the Commander would ever choose that option. Tali also trusted Shepard’s tactical mind far more than she did her own. There could have been a tactical advantage to sending the forces there that the Quarian couldn’t see, but at the same time, it would result in deaths that could be entirely avoided by simply having more forces for them to deal with. “And done.” The alarms stopped blaring in their ears, the whole base going quiet once more.

Shepard stopped before entering the base’s interior, “Lieutenant, status report.”

Even louder gunfire than before filled their comms, “ _Three injuries so far Commander. Only minor, patched up and back in the fight. The Mako has been a big help._ ” As if to prove his point, the tank’s main gun echoed in the background, “ _Enemy numbers show no sign of letting up._ ” Shepard could hear how hard Kaidan was breathing, the fight beginning to get to him, “ _We’ll hold them, don’t worry Commander._ ”

“Understood, let me know if anything changes.”

“ _Yes, ma’am. Alenko out._ ”

Shepard moved off without another word, punching the door’s interface and stalking inside. They moved into a warehouse, huge stacks of crates covering the room’s floor. It made a maze of the interior, high enough that the enemy could by hiding anywhere in here and they’d never know till they got close enough to be taken by surprise. Shepard wouldn’t let that happen. She slowly stepped forward, listening for any sign of the enemy she knew was there. She attempted to make her steps as silent as possible, her companions doing the same to the best of their ability.

Shepard had been trained in her N7 course for stealth missions. However, she’d been trained for solo stealth, or group stealth if the rest were trained N7s as well. Her current squad was not. She could hear the creak of Wrex’s armour as though he was ripping it apart. The almost deafening sound of Tali’s breathing coming through from her suit’s speakers. And even Garrus, with what she assumed was specialised training from the Turian military, was far louder than what she would have wanted. She’d just have to make do.

Shepard froze just before a corner, stopped in the other three in their tracks. She signalled for them to stay where they were, pressing herself against a crate and ever so slowly moving towards the bend in their path. When she was barely an inch away from properly appearing around the corner, Shepard abruptly reached around, grabbing the enemy she knew was there. Before its programming would allow it to react, the Commander wrenched the Geth trooper around, slamming it into the ground with one hand around its throat. Her other fist rushed down, glowing with biotic dark energy. It slammed into the Geth’s chest armour, crushing it inwards and destroying much of the necessary hardware. The Geth flailed for but a moment before the hand wrapped around its neck crushed and pulled vital wiring out, shutting it down completely.

The sudden destruction of their ally caused the Geth to begin the battle in earnest, several rushing around the corner to confront their adversary. They each only got a few shots off, barely damaging the squad’s shields or barriers before they all exploded simultaneously from their attack. “Well, there goes the sneaky option.” Shepard grouped back up with the other three, all moving off at the same time around the corner.

The crates filling the room made for tight corridors they had to navigate. It funnelled the enemy to them, but did the same thing for their enemy. Geth fired on them, no choice but to let their defences take the attack at full force and respond with one of their own. There was no cover to speak of, not even a low crate they could hide at least some of their body behind.

The four of them stood in one line, firing in unison as they advanced along the tight passageways. They stepped over Geth as they fell, Wrex even occasionally stooping down to grab onto their bodies and toss them at their newest enemy. Shepard’s assault rifle overheated in her hands, quickly switching out to her pistol and blasting away at the Geth.

Shepard estimated they’d made it halfway through the room, still coming up against waves of Geth and Krogan. She could hear something above them, taking a glance upwards just in time. A crate was plummeting towards them, large enough to squash them all if she let it. Her quick reaction was the only thing that saved them.

Shepard’s shotgun clattered to the ground, raising her hands up and yelling, “WREX, CATCH!” The Krogan did the same, both shrouded in dark energy as the crate came towards them. It hit their outstretched hands, forcing them immediately to one knee. Tali and Garrus dived backwards on instinct, avoiding the giant obstacle entirely. Shepard and Wrex grunted beneath the weight of it, both on one knee as they tried to lift it back up. “I knew I was doing all that weight lifting for something.” The crate was causing her arms to shake just from holding it up. She knew her entire body would buckle under it if they didn’t get rid of it soon.

Garrus rolled onto his back, eyes instantly locking onto the two Krogan who’d pushed the crate off the stack in an attempt to kill the squad before they’d even properly infiltrated the base. He fired up at them, both taken by surprise as bullets buried themselves within their armour and the underlying flesh. They stumbled backwards from the attack, Tali soon joining in and firing her shotgun straight up at them, quickly followed up by an overload to their armour’s systems. They toppled over backwards, the resounding crash of them hitting the ground on the other side of the stack the last sound they would ever make.

“Get through.” Shepard just managed to get a few words out through gritted teeth, Garrus and Tali scrambling to the feet before ducking under the crate and making it through to the other side. She nodded at the Krogan beside her, “Now.” Wrex and Shepard heaved up and backwards, the crate crashing down onto the ground behind them. Shepard scooped her weapon back up off the ground, stretching her arms for a few seconds before moving off once more.

In between shots, Wrex grinned at the Commander, “Should get them to drop more stuff on us, haven’t had to use my muscles like that in a few centuries.”

“Just be glad-” Shepard tugged a Geth towards her with biotics before firing directly into its gut and sending it careening back to where it came from, “-that I reacted fast enough to save it from crushing us.”

“HA! Might’ve killed you guys, but I would’ve been fine.”

“Good to know you care about our wellbeing Wrex.”

The Krogan Battlemaster rushed forward, grabbing another Krogan by the throat and using his momentum to lift and subsequently slam the other into the ground. He followed it up with a biotic-stomp straight to the face, crushing nearly every bone in the other Krogan’s face and killing him instantly, “Anytime Shepard.”

They made short work of the remaining enemies within the room, finally getting to the other side. There were only two options for progressing further into the base that Shepard could see. One door led back outside, which felt more like one step forward two steps back than anything else. Shepard decided on following a staircase down further into the facility. She hoped the bowels of this place would give them useful intel on Saren and exactly how close he was to succeeding with his plan. Or at least a way to deactivate all of the base’s defences and allow the Normandy to drop the nuclear bomb currently sitting in its cargo hold.

Shepard calmly led the way, reaching the bottom of the stairs and stalking through the first room. It was completely empty, only a door on the other side really giving any indication of the path forward. She opened it, confronted with a walkway suspended above what looked like a lab. She looked down at the lower floor, spying several occupants who immediately looked up at the sound of the door opening. They were all Asari dressed in lab gear, but the looks in their eyes told Shepard that wasn’t their sole job in Saren’s plans.

Every Asari drew a pistol from beneath her clothes, beginning their assault on the squad who’d invaded the base. Shepard broke into a short run before somersaulting forward, protecting herself from the bullets flying up at her. The walkway would only allow them to get to the lower floor right at the other end of the room, some 40 metres away. They were at a distinct disadvantage here. Shepard did the only thing she could think of that would take their enemy by surprise.

The Commander jumped up, vaulting over the railing and firing on the closest Asari while still in mid-air. Her chest sprayed out purple blood as she stumbled backwards, the shock evident on her face before finally falling down and laying still. Blood quickly pooled under the fresh corpse, her pistol clattering to the ground. Shepard fell, landing on her feet and falling forwards into a roll, springing back up and diving behind a workstation as bullets filled the air that she had just previously occupied.

Wrex came next, not even attempting to roll as he landed and simply taking all of the force of his giant frame straight through his legs. He calmly marched forward, hip firing his shotgun at the Asari and laughing as bullets either deflected off his barrier or barely injured him in the slightest. He picked out the Asari closest to him, moving towards her at a constant speed, not firing his shotgun at all even as she fired upon him. He finally got close enough, seizing hold of her hands with one of his own, crushing her wrists till the pistol fell to the floor. The Asari attempted to wrench herself free, body glowing with biotics. With speed that his bulky frame should not have allowed, he let go of her wrists only to grab her by the throat and lift her clear off the ground in one clean movement.

Pulling back, Wrex tossed the Asari at her allies, three of the aliens crashing to the ground with bone-crunching force. Wrex continued to fire his shotgun, eventually being forced into cover further on in the room than Shepard as the Asari adapted to his tactics and focused fire on the Krogan. Even Wrex couldn’t handle all of their barrages at the same time and actually live to talk about it.

Garrus used the partly shifted focus of the Asari to his advantage, switching to his sniper rifle and beginning his own barrage against Saren’s forces. Each shot found its mark, some of the Asari’s heads disappearing in gouts of purple, while others suddenly had large holes in somewhere vital. He was only able to make three shots before having to duck down and wait for the bullets to stop flying at him. Even with his exemplary marksmanship skill, he couldn’t aim fast enough to take any more shots than that.

Tali cursed under her breath in Khelish. She couldn’t do what Shepard and Wrex had done, the floor below too far for her to drop without breaking at least a bone in her legs. She didn’t have the biotics of Shepard to lessen the impact or the sheer strength of Wrex to absorb the force. She wasn’t anywhere near as proficient at long range combat as Garrus. Her shotgun was essentially useless at this range, and even if one of the pellets happened to hit one of the Asari, it would barely even be a flesh wound. The Quarian scanned around the sections of the room she could see, settling on a control panel at the far end of the walkway. Maybe she could do something with that.

With the Asari distracted with the other three members of Shepard’s squad, Tali shuffled along the walkway as quickly as she could, forced to remain almost crouching to prevent the Asari from possibly seeing her and turn their attention to her. Finally reaching the end, she reached up and yanked away some of the control panel’s housing, pulling wires from underneath and connecting them through to her omni-tool. This system was far harder to crack, the firewall far more complicated than the alarms outside along with the deafening noise of gunfire echoing through the room.

After a few tense minutes, Tali broke through, sorting through the systems she could access from this panel. Her first thought would’ve been the fire suppression systems, but it seemed the only thing this room had in that department was sprinklers, a disadvantage for both sides. It only took her another few seconds to stumble upon another idea. A smile spread under her visor, speaking as quietly down the comms as she could, “Hey, do any of your suits have night vision?”

“Mine does.” Shepard yelled back.

“Yep.” Wrex’s short one-word answer.

“No, but my sniper does in its scope.” Garrus said between shots.

Tali hovered over the command, “Well, get ready to use it.” Her finger came down onto her omni-tool, enacting her plan. Instantly, every overhead light in the entire room turned off, plunging the entire room into complete darkness. They were far enough underground that there weren’t even any windows that could possibly have let any daylight in. The only light that came through was the momentary continuation of muzzle flashes, quickly ending as no combatant could see their targets.

Shepard stowed her assault rifle, quickly shutting off her suit’s lights to prevent anything from giving her away. Her vision was bathed in green as her helmet’s night vision setting activated. She popped her head up over the cover, clearly seeing each of the Asari still attempting to aim for both her and Wrex. She quickly moved away from the spot they knew her to be in, carefully planning her next move.

The Commander eyed a target further down than the closest one, perfectly positioned in front of a bench for her. She took off at a sprint, her armoured feet pounding against the ground. The Asari attempted to follow the ever so slight blue-blur they could see, but Shepard was too fast, already long gone by the time they’d turned to where she had been. Leaping into the air with her feet out in front of her, Shepard’s body went flying past her target, only reaching out to grab the Asari when most of her body was already over the top of the bench. Her armoured fingers dug into the blue alien’s shoulder, wrenching her off her feet. Shepard spun her body in the air, landing facing the opposite direction to her running, her enemy still in mid-air. She reached out with her other hand, seizing hold of the Asari’s other shoulder before pulling the alien towards her and down.

The Asari’s neck broke on contact with the bench, Shepard having slammed her down with such extreme biotic force. The Human let go the instant her attack was done, taking a few steps before jumping and planting both feet into the chest of another Asari, sending her flying backwards and taking several to the ground with her. The Commander was back on her feet in seconds, sprinting off towards the next target.

Wrex had the same idea as Shepard, moving away from his cover and beginning a melee assault on the Asari. None of them could stand against his titanic strength, bones cracking with every blow he brought to bear. He came up to a pair of them, seizing hold of the sides of their heads and crashing them together. They collapsed to the ground, both with at least severe skull fractures if not serious brain damage, purple blood already pooling under them. Wrex didn’t bother to check, already moving off.

Garrus continued to fire his sniper rifle, the only thing he could do in the darkness Tali had plunged the room into. His armour had been given to him by C-Sec, without many of the bells and whistles that a true military grade set would have provided. He knew for a fact that the standard Turian military armour had the night vision setting that would have made this much easier, but he had to deal with what he had. The Turian used the darkness to his advantage, capitalising on the confusion it had created amongst the Asari.

He fired on any of the Asari that Shepard or Wrex left behind as they carved their way through the enemy. They attempted to adapt to this new challenge, but only had a muzzle flash every few seconds to even try to determine Garrus’ position. The Turian made sure to move back and forth along the walkway to prevent any chance they had of locking onto him and actually injuring him.

Tali remained near the panel to switch the lights back on when they were ready. She could still see perfectly well even without the lights, her enviro-suit automatically adjusting the filter over her visor. She took the chance to pull out her pistol, carefully taking aim at the furthest back Asari. She fired, managing to hit her target a little off from where she wanted, the bullet entering the Asari’s side further down. The enemy still collapsed to the ground, but clutched at her new injury, turning to where she thought the attack had come from and firing wildly into the air. Tali ducked down and waited for the bullets to stop before popping up once more and firing again. This one hit the Asari in the chest, forcing her properly to the ground. Tali could hear a gurgling issue forth from her mouth for a few moments before silence prevailed. She turned to the next furthest target, continuing her assault.

Eventually, every Asari in the room lay dead on the ground. Tali switched the lights back on, hurrying down the stairs to join Shepard and Wrex.

Shepard surveyed the room, avoiding looking at the bodies on the ground for too long. She’d only gotten a very brief look when they’d first come in and had been too consumed by the battle to notice anything before. Spaced every few metres on both walls were large tanks, the front of them mostly covered by metal except for right near the top, a small window of glass. Through every single one, she could see a Krogan.

Wrex moved to one of the tanks, carefully tracking around it. Without warning, the elder Krogan wrenched off the door, liquid splashing onto the floor and the Krogan collapsing out. It struggled to its hands and knees, coughing up litres of the same fluid that had surrounded it within the tank. Wrex glared down at it for a few seconds as it breathed heavily in and out. With a calm rage taking him over, Wrex pulled out his pistol, pressing it to the back of the Krogan’s neck and firing. It collapsed, blood mixing with the liquid on the ground.

“Saren hasn’t cured the Genophage… he’s cloned the weakest of us.” Wrex growled out. “I’m going to kill that Turian.”

Shepard could see that this wasn’t something Wrex wanted to talk about, so she didn’t press the issue. She only nodded when the Krogan looked up at her, following her out as she continued to lead them through the base.

The next room was completely devoid of any of Saren’s forces, but it wasn’t empty by any means. There were several cells along the one wall, several of them empty, but a few filled with one person each. Shepard moved closer, seeing that the first one contained a Salarian. She knew this was one of Kirrahe’s missing men. He wore armour of the same design as the rest of the STG forces on Virmire. The instant he spied Shepard outside, he practically ran up to the glass.

He looked the Human up and down, his eyes taking in every detail, “Well, you’re not Geth and you’re not wearing a lab coat. So, I guess I’m glad to see you.” He suddenly straightened up, hand flying to his forehead in salute, “Lieutenant Ganto Imness of the Third Infiltration Regiment, captured during recon. I assume you’re part of the fleet we requested to destroy the base?”

Shepard shook her head, “Unfortunately the message came through garbled. We’re the only reinforcements who’ve come.”

Imness didn’t seem particularly worried about that piece of information, or at least not nearly as much as he should’ve been, “I see. Then you must be an infiltration team. I assume Captain Kirrahe outlined his plan to destroy the base?”

“He has, yes.”

The Salarian looked around, suddenly nervous, “He wants to destroy it for the Krogan breeding capabilities, but there is something far worse going on here. A far greater threat and far more horrifying than a Krogan army could ever hope to be.” His voice lowered, so quiet Shepard almost had to strain to hear him, “My entire team was experimented on. They’ve all been altered, indoctrinated. I saw them reduced to nothing more than mindless husks. Others died during the experiments. I envy them…”

Shepard nodded, “Do you know anything more about the experiments? Why Saren’s running them?”

“They’re studying indoctrination. Its symptoms. Its side effects. Anything they could learn.” Imness sighed, “Saren uses it to control everyone around him. But I don’t think he truly understands it. He doesn’t see the effect it’s having on everyone around him. Controlling a power like that… it’s impossible.” He became frantic, “Please, I don’t know anything past that. I’ve seen what it did to the others. Turned them all into empty shells. You have to let me out! I can’t end up like that.”

Shepard considered it for only a moment, “I’ll open your cell. But you’re on your own. You’re in no condition to keep fighting and I can’t afford to help you out of here. I’m sorry.”

Imness wasn’t disheartened in the slightest, “No need to be sorry. I’ll get out of here.” The cell opened, “If I know Kirrahe, he’s converted our ship’s reactor into a bomb.” He breathed in deeply, “I might not be able to outrun the blast, but you’ve given me a chance. Thank you.”

Shepard looked into another cell, several Salarians sitting on the ground staring at nothing. “What about them?”

Imness shook his head, “It’s too late for them. Even if you did open the cell, it wouldn’t do any good. They wouldn’t move. They’re the husks I was telling you about. Little more than sacks of blood and meat at this point.” He nodded at Shepard, “Thank you again.” The Lieutenant ran off, quickly making his way back the way the squad had come from.

Shepard watched him go before turning back to the husks. She considered her options quickly, moving to the console and opening the cell. As expected, none of them moved. She felt for them, knowing there was nothing more that she could do without jeopardizing the entire mission. “We have to stop Saren if this is what awaits us if we fail. I don’t know about you guys, but having my mind emptied and turning into a mindless sack isn’t high on my list of priorities.”

The Commander drew her assault rifle, walking off further into the facility. The rest followed, save Wrex, who continued to stare at the Salarians. He walked closer and wave a hand in front of one of them, not even an automatic response from their eyes. He knew this was what would happen to the Krogans if Saren got his way. He would not allow that to happen. Wrex jogged to catch up to the rest of the squad.

They followed stairs up, leading to an empty room with only a desk and an elevator. Tali tried to hack into the computer on the desk, only to find it completely devoid of any information aside from a control for the elevator itself. She tried to search for anything else and found absolutely nothing. They all climbed in once she’d activated it, pressing the only other option aside from the floor they were on. The elevator immediately moved upwards, going excruciatingly slowly. Shepard restrained herself from tapping her foot, careful not to make any more noise than their current mode of transportation was making. They didn’t need any enemies ready for their arrival, more than they already likely were.

The doors opened, all four of them at the ready. Nothing fired upon them immediately, Shepard pressing her back against the wall and edging closer to the opening. She poked her head out, finding a lab, far fewer occupants than the last one. Her eyes were drawn to a very interesting but at the same time an extremely disturbing sight.

Machines lined the walls, each one containing the exact same thing, suspended in an energy field. Husks, exactly like the ones they’d faced on Eden Prime and on other missions. Humans, perverted by technology into mindless killing machines. Their bodies grey and glowing with blue circuitry, all ready to attack if they were just to be released from their prisons.

Shepard took a hesitant step into the room, quickly scanning over everything with her weapon. She knew there would be an enemy around the corner, or at the very least there would be something that would set off a trap and release all of the husks to attack them. She took the risk, silently striding towards one of the machines. She reached the closest one, careful not to get close enough to get enveloped by the field. Just as she began to look, the enemy attacked.

“NO! LEAVE THEM ALONE!” A huge shape slammed into Shepard, taking her from her feet before she slammed into the ground. She flipped back over into a crouch, aiming at this new enemy, “I WON’T LET YOU DESTROY MY RESEARCH!” A Krogan stood before them, but definitely not one of the smaller clones from downstairs. This one was fully grown, only a little smaller than Wrex himself. He smashed his fist onto a console, every machine suddenly emitting a shrill whine before their energy shields shut off completely. “I WILL BRING US BACK TO GLORY!” Husks fell to the ground, quickly gaining their feet and locking onto the squad. They all let out an unholy shriek before charging with speed they would not have had when they were still Human.

Wrex’s eyes narrowed as he completely ignored the rapidly advancing husks. He only had eyes for the other Krogan and nothing would stand in his way. The Battlemaster let out a war cry, taking off at full speed towards his target. Husks attempted to attack the charging Krogan but bounced off of his body without even slowing him down. Wrex crouched down as he came closer, his shoulder crashing into the Krogan’s gut and lifting him from the ground. Wrex took a few more steps before throwing his opponent forward, shattering through a table several metres away.

“You’ve perverted the Krogan race!”

“I’VE SAVED US!” He climbed to his feet, closing the distance between Wrex and himself before engaging with a series of punches. “WE WERE WEAK! WE CAN BE STRONG AGAIN!”

Wrex blocked every punch with ease. He retaliated tenfold, slamming biotically charged blows into the other Krogan’s ribs and breaking them with each one. “THE ONLY THING YOU’VE DONE IS MAKE US SLAVES!” A vicious right hook sent the other Krogan spinning to the ground. “I WOULD RATHER DIE THAN SERVE SAREN!”

The researched spat out a mouthful of blood, struggling back to a standing position, “THEN YOU ARE A FOOL AND WILL DOOM US ALL, URDNOT WREX!”

Wrex froze in his advance. Husks rushed past him, seemingly ignoring the threat on their ally. “How do you know me?”

“HA!” He spat again, wiping away the last of the blood from his lips, “Every Urdnot knows of you. You disgraced our clan the day you murdered your father.”

“Disgraced it?” Wrex looked a little closer, his eyes widening, “I remember you. You were there.” Wrex took a thundering step forward, cracking the concrete beneath his foot, “Trying to prevent him from dooming our entire race to extinction is disgracing it?” The other Krogan stood defiant, not retreating but not advancing either. “You would see us enslave ourselves and continue to die for nothing until we wipe ourselves out completely?” Wrex dodged a punch, reaching out and grabbing hold of a wrist before slamming his other palm into the researcher’s elbow, shattering the bone. He repeated the action as the other arm came swinging. Wrex stood to his full height in front of the Krogan, raising his hands up and wrapping them around his throat. “I haven’t disgraced anything. Serving Saren is worse than anything I’ve ever done.”

Wrex tightened his hold around the other Krogan’s throat, lifting him clear off the ground. The researcher kicked uselessly as Wrex put all his strength into choking him. With one last gasp for air, Wrex clenched as hard as he possibly could, feeling the bones beneath his hands snap under the force. He released the other Krogan, the body rag dolling to the ground.

The Krogan Battlemaster turned to find Shepard lifting the final Husk from the ground before firing her shotgun into its gut. The Husk went limp, the blue lights all over its body going dark. Shepard released her hold, shaking her hands out and getting rid of the viscous fluid that had coated them. She looked to Wrex, knowing there was nothing she could say, “Good to move, Wrex?”

Wrex only nodded, leading them out of the room and further on. Shepard knew not to question the ancient Krogan further. It could only end in something similar to what had happened at the Salarian’s camp.

A door at the end of the lab led them to an outside walkway. Shepard could hear Geth further on, the sounds of their metallic feet drawing closer. “MOVE!” Shepard took off at a sprint, hoping to take their enemy by surprise with the bold strategy. It worked, the Spectre charging around the corner to several shocked Geth troopers. She swung with the butt of her rifle, heavily denting the plating on the head of one of them. Shepard fired into its chest with one hand while the other drew her pistol and fired on a second, puncturing its chest with well-placed shots.

Garrus fired only a single bullet, destroying the last Geth’s head from near the door they’d come outside from. The Turian stood back up from his position, quickly catching up to the rest of them. Shepard nodded at him, “Good shot.” She knew it was more than good, there was at least four separate blockages on the path the bullet had taken that would’ve prevented most snipers from even attempting it. But she’d learned Garrus was no ordinary sniper.

The walkway ended in a locked door, Tali crouching down next to the console while the other three kept watch. Shepard didn’t like being so exposed. There were at least four separate rooftops any of Saren’s forces could use to attack them from and tight corners Geth drones could come swooping around from at any second. She could feel a few beads of sweat roll down her back under her armour, constantly looking for any sign of attack.

A minute went by with not a single peep from the Quarian, “Any luck Tali?”

“Almost got it.” Tali said it through clenched teeth, focused on her work, “This lock is far more complex than anything else here. This has got to be the control room.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“And… got it!”

A ding signalled Tali’s success, Shepard spinning around the face the door. “Excellent. On three. One. Two. Three.” The door opened on Shepard’s signal, the Commander advancing into the room and sweeping the area. There were two things she instantly noticed. Another locked door on the far side, and a desk, with a cowering Asari. She turned to aim at the blue-skinned alien, “On your feet! NOW!”

“Please don’t shoot!” The Asari stuttered out her words, holding her hands up in surrender as she slowly rose from behind the desk, “Please, I just want to get out of here.” There were tears falling down her cheeks, but Shepard knew she couldn’t relent in her treatment of any of Saren’s forces. For all she knew, this Asari could have hidden a bomb in the room and was just waiting for Shepard to let her guard down to set it off and kill her. They were definitely fanatical enough to kill themselves if it meant taking out Shepard and her squad. They’d proved that much.

“And I’m supposed to believe you won’t just attack the moment I let my guard down?” Shepard approached a little closer, getting within a few feet of the desk in front of the Asari, weapon still trained at the centre of her chest. “Tell me who you are and why I should trust you.”

The Asari visibly swallowed, sweat running down her forehead as she stared down the Commander’s barrel, “Rana Thanoptis, neurospecialist.” She glanced out the door behind Shepard, seeing the ruined Geth bodies, “But that doesn’t matter anymore. This job isn’t worth dying over. Or worse.” She visibly shook as an image ran through her mind, “You think the indoctrination only affects prisoners? It’s only a matter of time before Saren wants to dissect my brain and turn me into one of those… things!”

“This facility is more than just a breeding ground for Krogan then. What has Saren learned?” Shepard needed to know what Saren knew and how far he could push the indoctrination.

“This entire level is devoted to indoctrination. We’re studying that ship, Sovereign, and its effect on organic minds.” Rana looked confused for a moment, “At least, that’s what I’ve surmised from my time here. Saren only tells you exactly what you need to know and nothing more. He’s kept us all in the dark as much as he possibly could.”

Tali spoke up, “You’ve been working for that monster and you didn’t even know why?”

Rana almost stook a step back as she turned her attention to the shotgun-wielding Quarian, “I wasn’t exactly in a position to negotiate the terms of my contract. This position has been a little more… permanent than I’d initially expected.” She turned back to Shepard, lowering her hands in front of her, one sweeping out to point at a door behind her desk, “But please, I can help you if you let me. That door goes straight to Saren’s private lab. I can get you in there. You can find out whatever you want.” She moved slowly, pulling an ID card from her pocket before placing against a scanner next to the door. It hissed open, revealing an elevator, “See? Full access. All of Saren’s private files, everything he knows about indoctrination and Sovereign.” She placed the card on her desk before raising her arms again, “Are we good? Can I go?”

“Tell me what else you know about indoctrination.” Shepard needed to learn as much as she could before pressing on.

Rana looked too afraid to refuse, “Saren’s ship… It emits a kind of… signal. Undetectable by any known means, but it’s there. I’ve seen the effects, what it does to Saren’s followers. He influences them with absolute authority. Direct exposure turns you into a mindless slave, like the Salarian test subjects. But there’s collateral damage too.” At the look on Shepard’s face, she continued, “Sovereign’s signal is too strong. Spend too much time near that thing and you’ll feel it. Like a tingle at the base of your skull.” She shuddered at the thought, “It’s like a whisper you can’t quite hear no matter how much you strain to. You do things you would never do, but you don’t know why. It compels you to obey, and there’s nothing you can do to avoid it. Resistance is pointless. Eventually, you just stop thinking for yourself.” A glassy look passed over her eyes, “It happens to everyone here. My first test subject was the man I replaced. Now I just want to get out of here before it happens to me.”

Shepard’s brow creased, “Why does Saren need to research it? Isn’t he controlling it?”

Rana shook her head emphatically, “The signal comes from the ship. It may make you obey Saren, but he doesn’t control it. Not exactly anyway… I think he’s afraid it’s affecting him too.” The Asari seemed to ponder her next words, trying to explain it as best she could, “Indoctrination is subtle. If you even notice the symptoms, it’s usually far too late to do anything about it.”

“If this signal is coming from Sovereign, surely moving away from it would lessen the effects.”

“I’m not explaining this very well… it isn’t exactly a signal, more like an energy field that emanated from the ship. If you come into contact for any extended amount of time, you’re permanently affected by it. It changes your thought patterns, alters brain chemistry. Hell, for all we know, it’s completely rewriting our neural pathways. Test subjects with advanced conditions don’t usually survive all that long, or their brains are so fried it’s impossible to tell anything from them.” Rana became even more fearful, “Over time- days, maybe even a week -it weakens your will. You become progressively easier to manipulate or control. But it’s a degenerative condition, eventually you’re unable to perform even the simplest tasks. There’s a balance between control and usefulness. Exert too much control, and a subject’s usefulness plummets.”

Shepard nodded, taking in all this new information. If Saren was not in fact the one leading the ship and the reverse was true, this opened up an entirely new avenue of how to deal with the deranged Turian. But she’d have to think about that later. Shepard stared at the Asari, still with her hands raised straight up above her head. It didn’t feel right just to kill Rana right then and there and the Commander doubted her squad mates wouldn’t protest if she gunned the Asari down in cold blood. Instead, she lowered her rifle, signalling for the other three to do the same. “Ok. You’re free to go. But I should warn you… I’m about to blow this place to hell and gone. If you want to escape, you’d better start running.”

Rana’s eyes widened with fear as her arms dropped to her sides. “What?! You can’t… but I’ll never…” She didn’t say another word, sprinting past the squad and outside.

Shepard waited until her footfalls receded into the distance before turning back to the elevator the Asari had revealed.

“I would’ve killed her.” Wrex’s gruff voice was to no one in particular and Shepard thought it best not to engage in an ethical debate with the Krogan, especially after the past few hours. Garrus and Tali had the same thought, not giving any response to his words.

Shepard stood aside for her squad to enter before coming into the elevator herself. Her weapon was still trained on the door to the outside even as Tali hit the only other button besides the floor they were on. She only lowered it once the doors had hissed shut, still not fully relaxing despite the current lack of danger. For all she knew, Saren himself could be waiting on the other side of the door the moment it opened. She couldn’t afford not to be on alert for any potential threats, not with everything that was on the line.

The door opened once more to a poorly lit hallway, the floor, walls and ceiling all pitch black aside from a single strip of lighting on each wall. Shepard slowly moved forward, taking each step as quietly as she possible could. The squad followed behind in similar fashion, all sensing that they could be in danger at any second. A door at the end opened without even so much as a button press. There was absolutely no security this deep in the facility. Shepard was surprised at that. Saren evidently thought that it wasn’t possible for anyone to be able to infiltrate his main base of operations this far and hadn’t even bothered to consider putting some form of defence mechanism down here.

They stalked into a small room, quickly turning left and confronted by it splitting into three. The two sides ventured down a short way while the centre continued at the same level. There was a small console at the end of the central path, ominously coloured midnight black, just like the rest of the room. It was far more advanced than anything they’d seen in the facility thus far. It was definitely alien, though Shepard was unable to place what species it was even from. There were elements of Turian design, but they seemed to only serve a purpose as an interface rather than the actual function of the machine itself. It was likely to facilitate Saren’s use of it. Luckily, Shepard had been taught in her N7 training how to use such interfaces. That wouldn’t stop her.

Before she could approach it, Garrus called out from where he’d been investigating the lower paths, “Commander, I think you might want to take a look at this.” Shepard followed his voice and was confronted by a sight she didn’t think she’d ever see again. “It’s another Prothean beacon, like the one on Eden Prime.”

“Good find.” Shepard approached it slowly, eyeing the floating green projection in front of it. It was completely alien for but a moment before she perfectly understood everything it was showing her. She calmly came closer, reaching out and trying to find anything that could help them against Saren. Before she could find anything, the beacon glowed brighter, lifting Shepard off the ground with an energy field. Panic raced through her brain at the prospect of having information poured into her brain, just like before.

“SHEPARD!” Tali’s voice rang out, the Quarian charging to attempt to get the Commander out of the field.

Garrus grabbed her wrist at the last moment, hauling the engineer back. “Wait. Don’t… look.”

They both looked up at Shepard, not convulsing like the reports from Eden Prime had said. She looked almost serene as she floated in mid-air, receiving whatever message the beacon had deigned to share with her.

Shepard’s eyesight vanished, just like before, replaced with a vast nothingness. Her hearing left her next, only just barely making out Tali’s yell. Both senses rushed back to her, but not of her surroundings. A vision replaced both, great machines that she could only just make out before another image replaced them. A roaring filled her ears, deafening in its volume. Slowly, she began to make sense of it all. She was seeing the _Reapers_ , as they truly were.

Shepard’s eyes slowly opened as she took in the vision, the hallucination fading as her eyesight and hearing were returned to her surroundings. Abruptly, the beacon shut off, sending Shepard falling to the ground. She landed hard on hands and knees, breathing hard, but in no pain. She saw sweat drip off the end of her nose and impact the floor. She stood somewhat shakily before quickly regaining her balance. Shepard wiped the sweat of her forehead, “I really hate these visions.”

The entire squad froze as harsh red light permeated the air. They looked up, the suspended platform above them the source. The alien console now emanated several holographic displays, all covered in data that was impossible to read from down here.

Garrus was the first to voice their concerns out loud, “That can’t be good.”

Shepard led them up, taking it one step at a time as she approached the console carefully. As she got within a few steps of it, another hologram appeared, one of a giant ship. Shepard’s eyes widened at the sight. The ship in front of her, was Sovereign.

“ _You… are not Saren._ ” A deep, robotic and terrifying voice boomed out from the console, enveloping them all and echoing throughout the room. It sounded ancient and unlike anything they’d heard before.

“A VI interface?” Tali’s suggestion rang hollow. This looked far more advanced than a simple VI interface. Shepard could hear that the Quarian had only suggested it because that’s all she sincerely hoped this was, and not the far more serious and sinister possibility.

The voice continued, ignoring Tali’s comment, “ _Rudimentary creatures of flesh and blood. You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding._ ”

“Ok… not a VI.” Shepard could hear Tali swallow behind her but remained steadfast, staring at the display.

“ _There is a realm of existence so far beyond your own you cannot even imagine it. I am beyond your comprehension. I am Sovereign!_ ”

They all pieced it together at the same moment, Shepard voicing it, “Sovereign isn’t just some Reaper ship that Saren stumbled upon... It’s an actual Reaper!”

The name seemed to give Sovereign pause, “ _Reaper?_ ” It stopped for a second before continuing, “ _A label created by the Protheans to give voice to their destruction._ ” It practically scoffed at the notion, “ _In the end, what they choose to call us is irrelevant. We simply… are._ ”

“But… the Protheans vanished 50,000 years ago! There’s no way you could’ve been there! It’s impossible!” Garrus yelled out at Sovereign, trying his best not to let the fear at the implications of what they learned show through in his voice.

 “ _Organic life is nothing but a genetic mutation, an accident. Your lives are measure in years, decades. You wither and die._ ” Shepard could feel the Reaper’s voice slither in her mind. She hoped this wasn’t what indoctrination felt like. She couldn’t fall to that, not now. “ _We are eternal. The pinnacle of evolution and existence. Before us, you are nothing. Your extinction is inevitable. We are the end of everything._ ”

“And we’ll stop you!” Shepard’s voice came out far more commanding and unafraid then she truly felt, “There’s an entire united galaxy standing ready to face you.”

Sovereign had been expecting her words, “ _Confidence born of ignorance. The cycle cannot be broken._ ”

“Cycle? What cycle?” Wrex spoke for the first time since entering the room, just as rapt in what Sovereign was saying as the rest of them.

“ _The pattern has repeated itself more times than you can fathom. Organic civilisations rise, evolve, advance. And at the apex of their glory, they are extinguished._ ” The hologram glowed a little more brightly, “ _The Protheans were not the first. They did not create the Citadel.        They did not forge the mass relays. They merely found them, the legacy of my kind._ ”

“That doesn’t make any sense.” Shepard couldn’t see the logic behind what Sovereign was telling them, “Why would you construct the mass relays, only to leave them behind for anyone to find?”

“ _Your civilisation is based on the technology of the mass relays, our technology. By using it, your society develops along the paths we desire. We impose order on the chaos of organic evolution. You exist because we allow it._ ” The lights in the room dimmed significantly, as though Sovereign was trying to make its point more obvious, “ _And you will end because we demand it._ ”

“They’re harvesting us!” Tali figured it out first, just before the other three, “Letting us advance to the level they need, then wiping us out!”

Shepard needed to ask Sovereign as many questions as she could before the Reaper inevitably shut off its connection with the console, “Where did you come from? Who built you?”

“ _We have no beginning. We have no end. We are infinite. Millions of years after your civilisation has been eradicated and forgotten, we will endure._ ”

“And what do you want from us? Slaves? Resources?”

“ _My kind transcends your very understanding. We are each a nation. Independent, free of all weakness. You cannot even grasp the nature of our existence. Our goals are beyond your comprehension._ ”

“Where are the rest of the Reapers? Are you the last of your kind?” Shepard was already fairly certain of the answer, but she sincerely hoped she was wrong.

“ _We are legion. The time of our return is coming. Our numbers will darken the sky of every world. You cannot escape your doom._ ”

Shepard came out with words that sounded far bolder and braver than she was feeling, “Yeah? Well you’re not even alive! You’re a machine! And machines can be broken!”

If Sovereign was capable of laughter, this would’ve been the moment it would have burst out and been unable to stop. Instead a brief buzz of robotic noise came out before it began to speak again, “ _Your words are as empty as your future. I am the vanguard of your destruction. This exchange is over._ ”

The holographic display completely disappeared abruptly, shutting off the red light immediately. Shepard blinked several times, mind racing with all the new information they’d learned. She barely had time to process before there was an explosion, the glass on the far side of the room shattering inwards, daylight pouring in now that the tinted window was gone. The squad turned to the source, the landscape of Virmire almost seeming peaceful compared to the battle Shepard knew to be raging at the front of the place.

“ _Commander! Do you read me? We’ve got trouble._ ” Joker’s almost panicked voice came through their comms.

“Talk to me Joker.”

“ _You know that ship, Sovereign? Yeah, it’s moving. Whatever you’re doing down there made that thing pull a turn that would sheer any of our ships in half. It’s coming your way and it’s coming fast. You need to get that bomb in there and you need to do it now!_ ”

Shepard looked out the shattered windows, a clear view of one of the bases walls. The AA guns that had completely blocked the Normandy’s approach seemed to have shut down. Shepard looked down at the console in front of her, noting that it was fried. Whatever Sovereign had done to sever its connection with the base had shut the defences down. “Let’s head to the breeding facility. Joker can pick us up after we set the nuke.”

The squad made their way back through the facility and into the elevator. They moved through Rana’s office, running outside only to be confronted by a fresh wave of Geth and Krogan. Shepard rolled into cover, firing over it and forcing the enemy into cover themselves. Garrus took a sniping position, laying down fire and prevent any of their opponents from getting a properly coordinated attack in.

“ _The Geth are turning! Shepard must be getting close..._ ” Kaidan’s voice came through, the Lieutenant breathing hard as he barked orders to the Salarians, “ _Jaeto, circle around! Keep them here! Shepard needs more time!_ ” There was a loud explosion on the other end of the line.

“Alenko! You alright?” Shepard spoke even as she charged at the nearest Krogan, leaping into the air to dodge his attack before grabbing the top of his armour and slamming him to the ground with her. Wrex fired his shotgun into the Krogan’s belly as he ran past towards his own target.

“ _Four Salarian casualties Commander, but we’re holding strong. We’ll make sure you can plant that bomb._ ”

“Won’t be long now, be ready for retreat and extraction.”

Kaidan didn’t respond for several seconds and Shepard started to worry, “ _Yes ma’am._ ”

Shepard wanted to keep the conversation going and find out why Kaidan had hesitated, but she didn’t have time. Shepard and Tali charged together at the last Geth, dismantling it with twin shots from their shotguns.

The squad hurried along the way, nearly sprinting through the hallways of the base and bursting outside to more Geth. They’d barely started to counterattack before Shepard realised a terrible truth. She looked up at the huge AA gun on the top of a tower some distance away just as it came back online and began to raise up into a firing position.

“JOKER! DO NOT BRING THE NORMANDY IN! I REPEAT, THE DEFENCES ARE NOT DOWN, DO NOT BRING THE NORMANDY IN!”

Shepard looked into Virmire’s sky just as the AA gun fired, seeing the clear shape of the Normandy on approach. The frigate narrowly missed the attack, turning a sharp 90 degrees before accelerating away. “ _Fuck! That was close. Thanks for the heads-up Commander!_ ”

“Stay out of range, we’ll get those guns down.”

While she’d been radioing through to the Normandy, the rest of the squad had charged ahead, advancing between covers as the Geth attempted to stop them. They worked like a well-oiled machine, seamlessly focusing their fire on each enemy as it came into sight, taking them all out with precision.

Garrus stayed a step behind, his sniper in an almost permanent state somewhere between nearly overheated and too-hot-to-touch overheated. He made short work of anything in the distance with extreme prejudice. Tali came next hacking the Geth with her omni-tool while still firing her shotgun at the nearest targets and overloading others. Wrex was at the front, using both hands and shotgun to tear the synthetics apart.

Shepard smiled to herself at the efficiency, not even attempting to get into cover as she picked her target and began to run towards it. She launched herself towards the Geth, tackling it to the ground before leaping back to her feet and crushing its chest inwards with a single biotic punch. She dodged out of the way of a melee attack from another Geth, ripping the weapon from its hands and turning it back on the owner. Shepard fired into it, nearly bisecting it before aiming up at a drone she’d seen coming from the corner of her eye.

Before she could fire, a rocket streaked forward from the floating synthetic, Shepard only narrowly avoiding being directly hit by it when she dove forward on pure instinct. She felt the heat of the explosion as the projectile detonated behind her, feeling pieces of shrapnel bounce off of the back of her armour. Shepard scrambled to her feet into a kneeling position, rapidly taking aim with her stolen weapon before unleashing on the target. The drone went down in a hail of bullets, Shepard’s Turian squad mate firing on it as well. The robot crashed to the ground, sliding across the walkway before falling off the edge into the water below.

Shepard didn’t waste time congratulating Garrus on an excellent shot, throwing the Geth weapon away and pulling her own rifle free while moving toward the AA tower in front of her. She climbed the stairs towards it two at a time, turning to walk up sideways and sweep the landing with her weapon for any sign of Geth. Shepard moved quickly over the area, seeing the control room for the tower off to the left, not even a door defending it, and an elevator door to the right of them.

Before Shepard could even take a step towards the control room, the elevator opened to reveal a squad of Geth troopers. Shepard spun to face them, but stopped as a shape rushed past her and joined the Geth within the confines of the elevator within a second. Wrex had charged in with his arms out, taking several Geth to the ground with only a single blow. He punched the one in the centre, sending it flying backwards into the wall before turning to another and seizing it by the neck. None of the Geth had a chance as Wrex used the one he had a grip on as a club, pummelling every single Geth into piles of smoking metal and wires. He dropped the Geth, turning to the small panel within the elevator and hitting a button. Just as the doors closed, he chucked a grenade in and walked away from it. The explosion rattled the ground beneath them as Wrex walked away towards the control room.

Shepard nodded at Wrex and led the squad to the control room. There was only a single console within, not even a security system in place on it to prevent outside access. Shepard shut down the AA gun herself, not needing to employ the masterful skills of her Quarian companion. They could all hear the gun deactivate above them. Shepard fired a quick burst into the console with her rifle for good measure. They didn’t need a Geth or a Krogan to suddenly reactivate it while the Normandy was within range.

“ _Commander, we’ve set charges on the other AA gun. Permission to detonate?_ ” Shepard was surprised to hear Kaidan’s voice. She’d been planning to cross the entire base to destroy or deactivate the weapon herself, but her subordinate had done the job for her.

“Permission granted. Blow it to hell Alenko.”

The charges exploded; the noise audible from even the distance that the squad was from the centre of it. Shepard saw the cloud of smoke and flames rise up above the walls, satisfied that was the last of the defences that Saren’s base had.

The squad pressed on, Shepard on the comms straight away, “Joker, begin your approach, all defences down.”

“ _Roger that, bringing us in. I’ll get as close to the site as I can._ ”

Shepard opened a large blast door, confronted by a wide pathway with tanks lining the walls. She guessed they’d once held more of the bred Krogan, but they all now sat empty. They quickly made their way through, making sure there wasn’t any nasty surprises behind any of the tanks themselves. Shepard opened the last door to the site they were going to plant their nuke just as the Normandy flew into position above them. Joker moved the frigate carefully into position, keeping it hovering just high enough to ensure it didn’t fall down and crash.

The cargo bay door opened as they got closer, Ashley and another marine standing ready to carry the bomb to its destination. Liara stood just behind them, running final diagnostics on the converted engine. The two Humans moved with the bomb onto solid ground, Shepard leading them into the perfect position at the other end of the space to set the charge itself.

Ashley set the bomb down, speaking into the comms for all of their allies to hear, “Bomb is in position, ready to go whenev-”

“ _Commander! Do you copy?!_ ”

“Talk to me Alenko, nuke’s almost ready. Time to get to the rendezvous point.”

“ _That’s not going to happen, ma’am. The Geth have us pinned near the AA tower. Now up to seven Salarian casualties. Captain Kirrahe is wounded._ ” There was the sound of heavy gunfire from the other end of the comms, Kaidan grunting as he fired on his targets, “ _We’re not going to make it in time, Commander._ ”

Shepard immediately opened her comms to the Normandy, “Joker, go and pick them up, now.” Soldiers piled back into the Normandy along with Liara, the ship immediately taking off into the sky.

“ _Belay that order Joker. It’s too hot. Can’t take that risk. We’ll hold them off for as long as we-_ ”

Shepard’s heart rate quickened as Kaidan’s comms abruptly shut off. The silence was deafening, Shepard’s face going pale at the thought of losing the Lieutenant and all of the Salarians.

“Go get them Commander. We still need a few minutes to finish arming the bomb. Meet us back here.” Ashley’s words brought Shepard out of her trance, nodding at the Chief before taking off in the direction of Kaidan and the Salarians.

The blast door opened in front of them, Shepard not even checking to see if the rest of her squad was following. She was completely focused on getting to Kaidan as quick as possible. After all the missions she’d commanded the Lieutenant in, she was damn well not going to lose him now. Water splashed around her feet as she sprinted towards where she knew he would be.

A Krogan came from around a corner, firing on the charging Commander. Shepard simply reinforced her barrier and continued her path, accelerating straight at Saren’s soldier. Her fist caught him in the centre of the chest, almost breaking through his armour and still sending him careening through the air. The Krogan crashed into the far wall, crumpling to the ground in a heap. Geth attempted to attack, quickly destroyed by the rest of the squad.

They all piled into an elevator at the far side, Shepard tapping her foot in frustration at how slow the thing was going. It finally opened, Shepard and the squad rushing out onto the top of the walls. It only took Shepard a moment to see the destroyed AA gun. That was where Kaidan was and that was where she needed to go. She took off, taking the shortest route she could see.

The squad had barely made it twenty metres before they all turned at a deafening engine sound, a Geth drop ship flying into view over the walls, heading straight for the bomb site.

Kaidan’s voice crackled back over the radio, “ _Heads up Shepard, Geth ship heading your way._ ”

“ _It’s at the bomb site Shepard._ ” Ashley’s voice came through punctuated by the firing of her assault rifle, “ _They’re swarming, fucking hell._ ”

“Can you hold them Chief?”

“ _I think so._ ” An explosion echoed through their comms, Ashley’s voice coming through strained, “ _Negative. There’s too many of them. I don’t think we can hold them off._ ” Her next words were said with both confidence and acceptance of her fate, “ _I’m activating the bomb._ ”

“Williams, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“ _Just making sure this bomb goes off, ma’am, no matter what. Otherwise… this whole mission was for nothing._ ” There was a few more sounds of her rifle firing and a few beeps from what Shepard guessed was the bomb, “ _It’s done, go get Alenko and get out of here._ ”

“ _That’s not an option Commander._ ” Kaidan sounded like he was in extreme pain and afraid. More afraid than Shepard had ever heard him.

“What do you mean Lieutenant?”

“ _I was shot in the gut twenty minutes ago ma’am. Hole clean through me. And I’m all out of medi-gel._ ” He swallowed as he struggled back to his feet and kept firing at the approaching Geth. “ _You can’t save me_.”

Shepard couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She gripped the railing in front of her, the metal creaking beneath her gauntlets, “Like hell I can’t. I’m coming for you Alenko.”

“ _Shepard, listen to yourself. You’re not thinking straight._ ” He coughed, the action sending a groan of pain lancing through his voice, “ _I’ve got a few more grenades. I’ll take as many of these Geth as I can with me._ ”

“LIEUTENANT ALENKO, I AM YOUR SUPERIOR OFFICER! I AM ORDERING YOU TO GET INTO COVER AND STAY PUT UNTIL I GET THERE!” Shepard was frantic now as she began to move towards Kaidan’s position, “I’ll come get you and the Salarians.”

“ _Shepard… I told the Salarians to take the Mako and retreat to the rendezvous site fifteen minutes ago._ ”

She froze as the words washed over her, anger flaring up, “YOU DID WHAT?!”

Shepard could hear Kaidan swallow over the comms, “ _There’s a time and place for disobeying direct orders. Usually when your superior is being an idiot._ ” Kaidan coughed, “ _Shepard… Eliza…”_ Shepard straightened up at the use of her first name. She knew Kaidan wouldn’t say it unless this was the end. _“Please… go and save Ashley and everyone else. Go and get that bastard Saren. Make it all worth it._ ”

Shepard had gone completely still at her own words from years ago being parroted back to her. She knew Kaidan was right. Going to save him would mean losing so many others. She couldn’t help the tears stinging her eyes. Kaidan was one of her oldest and only friends. And here she was about to abandon him to his death.

She knew the decision that she had to make, but that didn’t make it any easier. If anything, it made it all the more hard, “Kaidan… I’m sorry.”

_“Goodbye, Shepard._ ” There was a click as Kaidan’s comms switched to be only transmitting to Shepard herself, “ _And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry too. For everything._ ” Shepard knew exactly what he meant by that; words she knew he never would have been able to say in any other circumstance.

All communication from Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko shut off abruptly. Shepard’s eyes tracked over to the direction a sound had come from. There was a blast and a subsequent plume of smoke and fire flying up into the sky. Just next to the AA gun.

Filled with concern, Tali’s hand came to rest on Shepard’s shoulder, “Shepard, are you-”

Shepard almost immediately shrugged the gesture off, briefly wiping her hand across her eyes before her helmet came folding back over her head. She started moving back in the direction they’d come from. “Let’s move.” None of her squad pressured Shepard any further, simply following in her wake.

Shepard got them all into the elevator, slamming her hand into the console to get it moving. Once more, they were trapped in the ever-aggravating metal box, knowing that every second they wasted in here was one second Ashley didn’t have. The moment the elevator dinged with the sound of its arrival; Shepard sprinted forward back toward the bomb site.

The squad arrived to a warzone, several of the Normandy’s soldiers already dead on the ground. Ashley was holed up near the bomb, just in the process of tossing a grenade at the Geth bearing down on her. Shepard could see the distinct colouring of the water around the Gunnery Chief, stained red with her blood. The white of one of the legs and one of the arms of her armour was completely invisible against the blood covering it, the wounds obviously only given a cursory application of medi-gel so she could get back into the fight.

Shepard took out a Geth with her rifle before sliding in next to Ashley behind her cover. She immediately set to work, applying medi-gel to the soldier’s wounds, “Stay down, Chief. We’ll take it from here.”

Ashley began to protest, “I can still fight, I-”

Shepard’s voice instantly turned hard, “I said, _stay down_ , that’s an order. You’re injured and I don’t need to have another one of my crew die today.”

At the harshness of Shepard’s words, Ashley nodded, “Yes, ma’am.” She was not about to argue with her commanding officer, especially considering what had just happened.

The Geth drop ship still hung in the sky, unloading its cargo in an attempt to overwhelm the Normandy’s crew. Shepard saw no way of getting rid of it and they didn’t have the necessary firepower anyway. She studied it quickly, noting that it lacked weaponry completely. Its only purpose was to drop troops off and fly away. So, all they had to do was hold out and destroy every Geth that came near them.

Garrus moved to the back of the area, setting himself up as best he could for a sniping vantage point. Having to shoot uphill was not advantageous in the slightest, but he had to make do with what he had. He surveyed the battlefield, noting that several heavy Geth platforms were hanging back from the main bulk, firing from afar. Those would have to be his first targets. He aimed down the scope, zeroing in on the shoulder joint of one of them. He pulled the trigger.

The large Geth’s armour shattered as the bullet passed clean through its joint, smashing through the main structure holding the arm to its body. The limb went limp, its weapon falling to its side as they synthetic struggled to lift the large gun with a single arm. Garrus fired again, this time at its knee, sending the Geth tumbling to the ground. It struggled to move its gun to continue firing, getting off one last shot before its head exploded with another shot directly to the lamp on the top of it. It collapsed into the water, Garrus not wasting another moment on it before switching to his next target.

Wrex got into cover for only a brief moment to concentrate on his barrier and activate the shielding his armour had. He didn’t use the shields much, his barrier generally enough to take whatever was thrown his way. Even the Primes they’d faced earlier weren’t enough to force him to use them. The Krogan’s main issue with them was that they took power away from the armour’s other systems, making it heavier than it felt like normally and also Wrex swore there was a slight haze over his vision whenever they were active. He’d been assured this wasn’t the case, but after using armour for the past few centuries he knew to rely on his own perception and not what other people told him. Even with all that, he was about to wade directly into the incoming fire of an entire dropship worth of Geth. He needed every defence he could get.

Once he was certain his barrier and shield were up to snuff, Wrex charged straight into the heat of battle, his first action to fire his shotgun directly at the nearest Geth trooper. His second, a punch that took another off its feet to collide with an ally. Wrex took them both out with another shot.

Many of the Geth switched to this new target, focusing their fire onto the approaching threat. Wrex’s shields and barrier lit up with ripples as the bullets were deflected away from him. The Battlemaster grabbed the nearest Geth to use as an additional level of defence, almost immediately taken apart by its cohort’s bullets. Wrex slammed his foot down, sending a biotic shockwave at a group of Geth and tossing his now defunct shield with all his might along with it. The dark energy took all of them from their feet while the corpse of the synthetic crushed some of their armour into uselessness. Wrex got amongst them, stomping into Geth chests and firing his shotgun into others.

Tali had come through the door already prepared, hacking the Geth while the squad weren’t even in the room with them. The moment she came into line of sight, she activated her hack, several Geth exploding as their power cores overloaded while other’s weapons overheated in their hands. The Quarian fired her shotgun at a group, too far away to take any of them out of the battle but close enough to stagger all of them. She sent a quickly prepared overload into their midst, smoke billowing from their chassis before Tali tossed a grenade and dove behind cover. The explosive detonated, the Geth collapsing to the ground in a heap.

Tali decided to stay behind cover from that point, the element of surprise they’d had now completely gone. She was too far away from the rest of the Geth to be of much use with her shotgun and closing the distance would be near impossible. She didn’t have a biotic barrier to reinforce her defences like Shepard or Wrex and wasn’t quite as able to shrug off injuries like her Krogan ally. She stayed down and did what she did best; hacked the Geth and made it so the rest of the squad had an easier time taking them all on.

The moment she was done helping Ashley with her wounds, Shepard leapt straight back into the fray of battle. She spun out of cover, firing her rifle and carving a Geth in two as she advanced to the next available cover. The pillar she’d hid behind was impacted by bullets straight away, Shepard waiting and listening for the right opportunity. She charged up a singularity in one hand, ready to throw as soon as she had her chance.

The bullets stopped, Shepard coming around the corner with a vengeance. She was angry. Angry that her friend was dead because of these synthetics and because of the one they served. Angry that she’d been unable to save Kaidan. She was going to tear these Geth limb from limb with her bare hands if she had to.

The singularity rocketed across the field, lifting several Geth into the air and holding them flailing there. Shepard lifted another synthetic with her biotics, tossing it into the already tangled mess of limbs. She pulled the pin on a grenade, tossing it into the sphere of dark energy, not even bothering to get behind cover to avoid the blast. She felt the heat of it even through her armour, felt shrapnel impact her barrier and even some make it through to scrape against the armour beneath.

Shepard didn’t care. She eyed her next target and almost calmly marched towards it without firing a shot. She held out a hand with a strong barrier stopping every bullet before it could even get close to her. Shepard reached through, seizing it by the forearm and tearing the limb away from the bulk of the body. She whipped the arm around, crushing its former owner’s side with it. She fired her rifle one-handed into the Geth’s body, dropping the limb to the ground and moving to her next target.

Wrex picked up the last Geth by the leg, crushing its chest at the same time as he ripped the limb off. The Geth dropship flew away, its mission failed. The squad were all breathing hard, but they’d done it. Saved the rest of the Normandy’s soldiers and Ashley as well.

Shepard began to move back toward the bomb and Ashley. She only made it a few steps before a biotic explosion sent her tumbling and flipping through the air. She landed with a thud and a groan, the rest of the squad diving into cover as they looked around for the source of the attack. Shepard struggled back to her feet when she saw it.

Saren stood on a floating disc above them, preparing to fire another biotic attack at the Commander. Shepard readied her own, staring at the former Turian Spectre with nothing but hatred and contempt. Saren leapt from his vantage point, landing on the ground without so much as a bending of his knees, taking the full force of the fall with his biotics. Both he and Shepard raised their arms, biotic attacks at the ready, daring the other to strike first.

Saren smiled, “I’ll admit, you put on an impressive show, Commander Shepard. My Geth were utterly convinced the Salarians were the real threat.” He chuckled to himself, “Of course, this all means absolutely nothing. I can’t let you disrupt what I’ve accomplished here. You can’t possible understand what’s really at stake.”

“Then why don’t you enlighten me? All I see is a maniac trying to enslave a race to his will.” Shepard studied the look in Saren’s eyes for just a moment, seeing something interesting, “And a man who’s being controlled and he doesn’t even know it. Sovereign and the Reapers destroyed the Protheans and that’s just what they’ll do to us if we don’t stop them.”

“No, no, no, Shepard. You’ve got it all wrong.” Saren seemed to dismiss Shepard’s notions as though she were an idiot, “You’ve seen the visions from the Beacons, Shepard. You, of all the people in the galaxy, should know what the Reapers are capable of. They cannot be stopped.” He was almost pleading with Shepard as he took a step towards her and she shuffled back half a step, biotic attacks still at the ready, “Do not mire yourself in pointless revolt. Do not sacrifice everything for the sake of petty freedoms. The Protheans tried to fight, and they were utterly destroyed. _Trillions_ dead. But what if they had bowed before the invaders? Would the Protheans still exist? Is submission not preferable to extinction?”

Shepard almost couldn’t believe what she was hearing come from the Turian’s mouth, “You’re further gone than I thought, Saren. Do you really thing the Reapers will let us live? What gives you any notion that they will? They annihilated the Protheans completely. It’s completely insane to just submit to them.”

Saren began to fidget, his agitation and annoyance obvious, “Now you see why I never came forward with this to the Council. We organics are driven by emotion instead of logic. We will fight even when we know we cannot possibly hope to win.” He was sounding surer of himself by the second and more insane to his listeners, “But if we work with the Reapers, if we make ourselves useful, think how many lives could be saved. Once I understood this, the decision was easy. I joined Sovereign, though I was aware of the… dangers. I had hoped this facility could protect me.”

“But it’s not working, is it?” Shepard’s words sent Saren reeling ever so slightly, a slight twitch in his eye, a clenching of his fist. Shepard thought back to Rana’s description of indoctrination, “You can feel it, in the back of your mind. A whisper you can’t quite hear, no matter how much you strain to. You’re driven to do things you never normally would. You’re afraid. Afraid that Sovereign is influencing you. Afraid it’s controlling your thoughts.”

His shaken confidence returned full force, as though something had stripped away his doubts in a single instant, “That was my concern as well. But I’ve studied the effects of indoctrination. The more control Sovereign exerts, the less capable the subject becomes. That is my saving grace. Sovereign needs me, so I retain my free will. It needs me to find the Conduit for it. My mind is still my own… for now. But the transformation from ally to servant is subtle. I will not let it happen to me.”

“Bullshit. You’re already there Saren. Whether you’ll admit it is another story.” Saren growled at the Commander, the biotics in his hand flaring slightly. Shepard stared straight back, not backing down a single inch. Shepard thought to try a different tactic, “But, you can still help us. You can help me stop the Reapers, stop Sovereign. Tell me what the Conduit is for, maybe we can put an end to this whole thing once and for all.”

Saren faltered, blinking several times as he processed Shepard’s words, “The Conduit is the key to your destruction and my salvation. Sovereign needs my help to find it, and that is why I will not be indoctrinated.”

Shepard wasn’t surprised that Saren didn’t tell her anything useful. If she was right with how far gone he already was, she knew it was a long shot but worth a try anyway. “You’re already under Sovereign’s power Saren. You betrayed the Council and you betrayed every living thing in the whole damn galaxy.”

“NO!” The Turian roared out his outrage at Shepard’s accusation. “SOVEREIGN NEEDS ME! If I find the Conduit, I’ve been promised a reprieve from the inevitable. This is my only hope.” He was bargaining with himself, that much was obvious. Even as indoctrinated as he already was, some small sliver of his mind was trying its hardest to fight back against the insidious presence within it.

They both continued to stare at each other for several moments, hands still raised ready to attack. Then, Shepard did the unthinkable. She lowered her hand, letting the dark energy fizzle out. “Don’t you see? You’re being controlled. Please Saren, stop this. Don’t let Sovereign and the Reapers win. Fight their control, help me stop them all. You’re better than this.” She raised her hands up slightly, “You’re just a tool to Sovereign. Once you’ve done what it needs you to do, you’ll be tossed aside. Don’t let that happen.”

Saren started laughing. Full boisterous laughter. “Do you think you can sway me with that Shepard? Do you think I haven’t already thought of this? Sovereign is a machine. It thinks like a machine, logically with no emotion whatsoever. If I can prove my worth, become a valuable resource, I will be worth maintaining. There is no other logical conclusion.”

“You’d sacrifice every single living being in the galaxy just to save yourself? You were a Spectre for fucks sake! Doesn’t that vow mean anything to you?”

“I’M NOT DOING THIS FOR MYSELF! Don’t you see? Sovereign will succeed. It is inevitable. My way is the only way _any_ of us will survive! I’m forging an alliance between us and the Reapers! Between organics and machines. And in doing so, I will save more lives than have ever existed.” Saren’s shook his head ever so slightly, Shepard preparing to react if she needed to, “But you… you would undo my work. You would doom our entire civilisation to complete annihilation. And for that… YOU MUST DIE!”

Shepard’s hand came up just in time, firing off her own biotic attack at the same time as Saren fired his. The two spheres of dark energy met in the middle, clashing with one another in a chaotic battle for supremacy. Both biotics took steps forward, trying to win against the other. Saren was a far stronger biotic than Shepard had anticipated, her own power struggling against his.

They both relented, Saren swinging with his fist in an attempt to catch Shepard off guard. She was ready, blocking the blow and following it with a knee to Saren’s gut. The Turian stumbled back, only out of the fight for a bare second before reengaging. They traded blows, neither able to overpower the other. Shepard could tell Saren was surprised at her strength, given that he had a full foot of height on her. Similar to her sparing with Garrus, this would’ve gone very differently if it weren’t for Shepard’s biotics. She’d only gotten the upper hand on Garrus with clever tactics, and they weren’t trying to kill each other. Shepard was under no illusion that she’d be extremely hard pressed to beat Saren or Garrus in a real fight without her biotics, despite her extensive training and peak physical condition.

None of the squad could get a shot in, Shepard’s body constantly getting in the way of a clear one. Even with his skill, Garrus wasn’t certain he could take the shot without shooting Shepard in the process. The Human had been shot many times, he knew that, but he didn’t think she’d appreciate getting shot by her own ally and letting a powerful and important enemy get the advantage in the process.

Shepard slammed Saren’s hands aside, crashing her fists into his gut twice. Saren responded in kind, getting a punch through her guard into her side. She coughed, on the back foot for the first time. Saren seized the opportunity, raining down blows that Shepard barely managed to defend against. Breaking her guard again, his hand came shooting through, wrapping around her throat and lifting her from the ground with ease.

She could feel Saren’s hand start to tighten, crushing the armour around her neck and constricting her breathing. He’d picked her up with his left hand, Shepard noticing something she hadn’t seen before. It wasn’t his natural arm. It was entirely synthetic, and not just synthetic… it was a Geth arm. It seemed the Turian shared more with his underlings and his master than Shepard initially anticipated.

Saren positioned himself so that Shepard’s squad still couldn’t get a shot in. Shepard’s vision began to waver, black creeping in from the edges. She grabbed at his wrist, trying to crush it, but the lack of oxygen combined with its synthetic nature made it nigh on impossible to gather the strength to do what she wanted to. She lashed out with her legs, kicking Saren as hard as she could. The Turian grunted at the blows but showed no signs of letting up on choking her.

A deafening noise echoed from somewhere nearby, distracting Saren slightly. Shepard saw the opportunity, lifting her leg up and sending her knee slamming into the side of Saren’s head. The Human dropped to the ground, gasping for breath for a few seconds before drawing her pistol and spinning on her knee. She turned just in time to see Saren climb aboard his floating platform and make a strong barrier around himself. Shepard fired several times, the bullets bouncing off both him and the platform.

Shepard kept firing as Saren made his escape, disappearing from sight within moments. She let her arm go limp, rubbing at her neck where Saren’s fingers had been crushing the armour. She got back to her feet as her squad came over, waving them off back to the bomb. “Set it to blow and let’s get out of here.” They followed her commands, leaving her be. “Joker, pick up the Salarians at the rendezvous point then come get us. We’re done here.”

“ _Yes ma’am_.” Shepard could tell the pilot wanted to say something else, but didn’t. She scowled to herself.

She’d failed. Their mission had been a success, in a way. But Shepard personally, had failed. Kaidan Alenko was dead. And she’d have to deal with that.

 

* * *

 

**Wednesday, 6:30pm, 13 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Virmire, Hoc System**

 

Shepard watched the cargo door bay close, feeling the Normandy turn in the air and accelerate away from Saren’s base.

“ _Hold on tight everyone._ ” Joker’s voice came through the ships comms system.

Everyone else in the cargo bay avoided Shepard. She was standing next to a table in the corner, her helmet on it in between her hands, fists clenched. She felt the bomb go off, heard the nuclear detonation that fully put an end to any chance of recovering Kaidan’s body. She felt herself shaking, brow creased with rage.

“GOD FUCKING DAMNIT!” Shepard’s fist slammed into the wall next to her, the metal snapping inward as her biotic strength forced it to buckle.

Every other person turned to look at her as she stepped away from the wall. None made a move to talk to her. They all knew they’d be on the receiving end of Shepard’s anger if they did. She knew they didn’t deserve it, but for the moment, she couldn’t think straight.

Shepard marched towards the elevator, turning to look at everyone assembled once she was inside. Salarians in amongst her crew. She tried to compose herself and failed. So, she said the only thing that she could without doing something else with her rage, “Comm room, one hour.” The door shut.

Shepard lost what little composure she had left, letting the tears that had been threatening to fall, spill over. She had lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is now my most subscribed to work (for now at least)! Thanks to everyone for that!  
> Trying to write faster, but everything doesn't always go to plan unfortunately.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	12. Committing Treason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter!

**Wednesday, 6:40pm, 13 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Virmire Orbit, Hoc System**

 

Shepard sat down heavily at her desk, staring at the computer in front of her. There was only one person she wanted to talk to right now, and that person was only a few clicks away. She made sure the door to her quarters were locked before dialling.

The call rang for a full minute, Shepard swallowing and trying her best to deal with the prospect of it not being answered. It had to be. She needed it to. Any other time, she could’ve dealt with it not being answered. But not now. Now it would be answered or Shepard wasn’t entirely certain what she’d do.

Finally, the ringing stopped, her screen blinking to life to a serious looking dark-skinned woman at the other end. Captain Shepard began to speak, “Commander, what do I owe this…” Hannah trailed off as she took in the sight of her daughter. Red puffy eyes, marks down her cheeks, still dressed in armour despite the fact she was obviously in her quarters. The younger woman was not looking at the screen, eyes downcast and unfocused. “Eliza.” She didn’t respond, “Honey, look at me.” Eliza finally looked up into her mother’s eyes, “What happened?”

Hannah had instantly sensed something was deeply wrong, more than anyone else would. She could tell there was something deeper than what even Eliza’s dejected expression was telling her. “I… I fucked up.” Fresh tears sprang to her eyes.

“Can you tell me how?” Hannah knew she needed to be patient. She’d only ever seen her daughter like this once or twice before. Eliza would tell her, but she needed to wait till she was ready to do so.

“Saren got away. I had him. I literally had him right in front of me. I fucking punched that smug Turian and… I lost him.” A ragged breath entered her lungs, trying to prepare to say the next words that felt like they were going to make her throw up, “And… Mom… Kaidan’s dead. He died fighting those Geth and it’s my fault. If I’d just sent someone with him, done _anything_ else, he’d be alive. I killed him.”

Hannah sat in silence for a few seconds, processing this information. Lieutenant Alenko had been one of the few soldiers that Eliza had actually become friends with over the course of her career. Most had great respect for Eliza herself but never saw anything beyond a superior officer.

Hannah was well aware of Kaidan’s misplaced affections in Eliza’s direction, but she also knew Eliza had done her best to move past that and maintain her friendship with him. She’d always been impressed with her daughter’s maturity on the subject; Hannah knew that’s not how she would’ve handled the situation. Eliza had greatly struggled with her sexuality in her teenage years and had been genuinely afraid to broach the subject with her mother. Hannah had quickly quashed those fears, having already known and was waiting for Eliza to tell her when she was ready.

Eliza had completely accepted herself by the time she came to join the Alliance Navy, and Kaidan’s initial advances had been easier to rebuff than previous ones Eliza had endured, but still difficult. The mountain of different emotions that must’ve been racing through Eliza’s head at his death were staggering.

“You didn’t kill him.” She had to be direct with the younger Shepard now.

“What?” Eliza blinked several times, “How can you say that? If I had sent Ashley with him or-or taken my squad down to three or _anything_ , he’d be alive. I made the decision. I sent him with the Salarians. It’s my fault. I _killed_ Kaidan. I- ”

“Eliza.” Hannah’s firm tone instantly silenced her daughter, garnering her full attention. “What was Kaidan doing with the Salarians?”

Eliza swallowed, forcing herself to relive her decision to send Kaidan, “Providing a distraction at the front of Saren’s base so I could get in undetected.”

“And why did you send him with them?”

“They needed help to complete the mission.”

“And why Kaidan?”

Eliza almost immediately slipped into analysing her squad with absolutely no emotion, “He was the only option. The Salarians would never have followed Wrex, Garrus could’ve done it but he’s never commanded before, I needed Tali to get through the base, Liara doesn’t have any leadership experience along with very little combat experience, and Ashley is… well, she wouldn’t work well with the Salarians.”

“So… after all that, is there a single other command you could’ve given that would’ve changed the outcome?”

Eliza went silent. She knew her mother was right. She’d made the only decision she could have and this was where it ended up. Nothing she could have done to change anything. Her actions had led to Kaidan’s death but they were always going to. With the options she’d had, this had led to the least loss, even if it was the biggest to Eliza herself. “No. There isn’t.” She wiped her hand across her eyes, trying to compose herself, “And yet, I still feel like it _is_ my fault.”

Hannah nodded, “And you always will.” The elder Shepard leant forward in her chair, “I’ve never told anyone this, but I was in a similar situation years ago.” She breathed out slowly, “My first command actually, during the First Contact War. We were on a Turian occupied world, preparing to take out a high-value target. Eight of us went in, three came back.”

Eliza opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to form a response, “What… what went wrong?”

“Nothing.” Hannah gave a slight chuckle, “Everything went according to plan. We got in, took out the target and got out. But I gave the order to engage. I knew it was extremely likely not all of us were getting out alive. The Turians were entrenched in their positions. Defence was near impenetrable, but we got through and killed him.” Hannah closed her eyes as she relived that painful memory, “I gave the command that killed three men and two women. Including…” Hannah shuddered out a breath, “Including my partner at the time.” She sighed, “It was the only one I could give. But it didn’t make it hurt any less.”

Eliza almost couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The fact that Hannah had managed to keep going astounded her. And it only got worse from the fact that Hannah had also lost a partner at the same time. Hannah had only dated a few men in the time after she’d adopted Eliza and had eventually decided having a partner wasn’t in the cards for her. She’d always said Eliza was enough for her. “How did you get past it?”

“I don’t know that I ever have. Being a soldier and especially commanding others… you’re going to make decisions that affect lives. You’ve been lucky Eliza. Going this many years without a casualty that, despite your best efforts, came from your commands… it’s not something you’ll ever get used to.”

Eliza was at a complete loss, “Then what do I do?”

“There’s only two things you can do. You can let this destroy you, consume every waking moment with guilt, which I would recommend as the lesser of the two options.” Hannah sighed to herself, “Or… you can live with it, let yourself feel everything and move on with it. Learn from it, no matter how much it hurts. Know that it wasn’t your fault and realise that you have to move on for the sake of the ones left behind. Otherwise… what was the point of their loss in the first place?”

Eliza sat back in her chair, taking in her mother’s words. She had to keep going, for Kaidan’s sake and everyone else’s. She couldn’t stop now, not with everything that was on the line. “Guess I have to keep moving then.”

Hannah smiled, “What’s your next order, Commander?”

“I need to go back to the Citadel, report what I’ve got to the Council.” She thought for a moment, “Wait… the vision from the Beacon.” She concentrated for a moment, only able to bring forth a few flashing images, but enough to get an idea, “I need to link minds with Liara again, get her to make sense of all this.”

“Best get to it then.”

Eliza locked eyes with her mother. She wasn’t feeling entirely better but Hannah had definitely put everything into perspective. She doubted she’d get over Kaidan’s death anytime soon, but this was a start, “Thanks, Mom.”

“Anytime honey.” Hannah saluted her daughter, Eliza returning the gesture before they both shut off the link.

Shepard sat back in her chair. She breathed out slowly, shifting her focus from her grief and guilt back to the mission. There would be time to grieve later, for now she needed to prevent Saren from causing untold levels of death and destruction on the galaxy.

They needed to get to Ilos, and they needed to get there now. She called up the coordinates for the Mu Relay that she’d received from Benezia. Shepard groaned. The coordinates were exactly where she didn’t want them to be. In the Terminus Systems. She’d need the Council’s permission to even go near the damn thing. This was going to be a hard sell to the three people who Shepard was pretty sure didn’t even remotely trust her let alone like her. They’d almost definitely say no. She could just take the Normandy and go there, but she’d be arrested the moment she got back, even if she was successful. Unfortunately, she had to do this by the book.

Shepard stood to her feet, preparing her most convincing speech to give the Council. She needed to get this right.

 

* * *

 

**Wednesday, 7:30pm, 13 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Hoc System**

 

Shepard stood in the comm room of the Normandy as her crew filed in and took their seats. She noticed that Captain Kirrahe was absent, but she assumed the Salarian just wanted to get back home and await his next assignment. She very much doubted he wanted to continue the hunt for Saren unless he was ordered to by his superiors. She couldn’t exactly blame him; it wasn’t the best assignment no matter which role you played in it. One misstep and it meant death. Shepard had already learned that, even if it was the only way the rest of them came out of it alive.

Tali kept a careful watch on Shepard as she took her seat. The Commander looked completely composed now, nothing like she had been an hour ago. She could still see the grief on Shepard’s features, but it was now tempered with something else. The Human was back in control of herself, ready to continue with the mission. Tali made a mental note to keep watching Shepard and make sure this wasn’t a fluke and she was actually fit for duty. It wouldn’t be a good idea for Shepard to go back into the field in her previous state.

“Before anyone says anything about it, we will not be discussing Lieutenant Alenko’s death. We have to focus on the mission, there will be time for grieving later.” The entire crew looked surprised at Shepard’s words. They’d all seen how Kaidan’s death had affected her, and now it seemed she was completely past it. Tali could see that she wasn’t, but it seemed none of the rest of the crew could. “Saren has to be stopped, and to do that, we have to go through the Mu Relay and get to Ilos. From the coordinates we received from Matriarch Benezia, it’s going to be tough. The relay is in the Terminus Systems.” The crew began to whisper among themselves, all shocked at this revelation. None had had the chance to look at the coordinates, the mission to Virmire being more critical at the time.

Before Shepard could continue, Liara spoke up, “Commander? Excuse me for interrupting, but I have an idea. The Beacon you encountered in Saren’s base was remarkably similar to the one on Eden Prime. If so, it may have filled in the blanks in your vision. I might be able to help piece it all together for you.”

“Exactly what I was thinking.”

Liara stood, moving till she stood in front of Shepard. The Human closed her eyes, readying for the not-so-pleasant experience of joining their minds. “Relax Shepard. _Embrace Eternity_!”

The vision consumed Shepard’s senses for what she hoped was the last time. Images flashed over her eyes, clearer than they had been before. She saw Protheans dying by the millions to the Reaper’s unending onslaught. Planets falling by the hundreds, hope growing weaker every day the war progressed. The sound that had only been an unintelligible roar before now made itself clear. It was screaming. Dying Protheans uttering their last terrified message to an unfeeling enemy. If there was meant to be another message in the audio aside from that the Reapers were unstoppable, Shepard couldn’t make it out.

But then, there was a part of the vision that Shepard had never seen before. First, two stars came into view, orbiting each other in a billion-year dance of death, fated to crash into one another in a cataclysmic event of untold destruction. A moon, orbiting a planet that Shepard knew. And finally, the planet she needed. Ilos. Not just the planet, but the Conduit, the secret to their salvation or their destruction. Shepard saw the exact coordinates in the Prothean language, her Cipher translating them into an understandable format.

Both Shepard and Liara stumbled back as the vision ended, blinking rapidly as the message faded from their perception. “I… the images have yet to be that intense.” Liara swayed on her feet for a moment before regaining her balance, “I think it’s a distress call, a message sent out across the Prothean Empire as a warning. But it came too late. The Reapers had struck too fast and destroyed any chance the Protheans had of defending themselves.” Liara studied Shepard’s face for an instant, noting the confident look in her eyes, “Did you see something else, Commander?”

“Coordinates. _Exact_ coordinates. I know where the Conduit is on Ilos.” Shepard groaned, “And I need the fucking Council’s permission to even go there.”

“Screw the Council!” Ashley’s voice drew everyone’s attention, “We need to get Saren, and if going into the Terminus Systems is the only way to do that, we should go!”

“Normally, I’d agree with you Williams. But neither Alliance or Spectre vessels are welcome. We’d either be fired upon as soon as we got there or start a war by doing it.” Shepard threw up her arms in frustration, “Even if we did manage to get through undetected, we’d all be arrested the moment we returned to Council space. I’d be executed by the Council and the rest of you would be in jail for the rest of your lives. And Saren likely has an entire fleet orbiting Ilos as well. We’ll need the Council’s help to even get close enough to get to the Conduit itself.” Shepard turned away from the crew, “Joker, put me through to the Council. Everyone else, dismissed.”

The crew filed out of the room, watching as Shepard squared her shoulders and stood in the centre with her hands folded behind her back. They could all see she was not exactly relishing the prospect of begging the Council for help, but at this point, what choice did she have?

The holograms flickered to life in front of her in less than a minute, the Asari Councillor addressing her first, “ _Commander Shepard, I’m pleased to hear your mission on Virmire was a success._ ”

For the first time since becoming a Spectre, the Turian Councillor actually seemed pleased with something that Shepard had done, “ _Indeed. Saren is formidable enough without an army of Krogan at his beck and call._ ”

“The Krogan would never have been under Saren’s control. They would’ve served the one that Saren does. Sovereign, a Reaper.”

All three of the Councillor’s expressions turned sceptical at Shepard’s words. The Salarian was the only one willing to say anything about it, “ _Yes, you mentioned that in your report. Sovereign. A sentient machine. A true artificial intelligence, which is quite alarming… if it turns out to be accurate._ ”

Shepard had to bite her tongue to avoid yelling at their stupidity, “It is accurate, Councillor. Sovereign is a Reaper and it’s very real. Saren admitted it himself.”

“ _Please, he’s playing you Shepard!_ ” The Turian was back to his usually disapproving self, “ _Saren still has contacts on the Citadel. He likely saw your earlier reports with mentions of your vision and the Reapers._ ”

The Salarian Councillor nodded in agreement, “ _It is highly probable that Saren is using false leads and information to throw you off balance Commander. Our own intelligence has yet to turn up corroborating information to confirm or deny your assertions._ ”

“I tried to warn you all about Saren in the first place, and look how that turned out! I’m giving you everything I have. What would be the point of lying to you or telling you something I didn’t believe to be absolutely the truth?” Shepard couldn’t help her frustration from showing through.

“ _Try to see this from our perspective Commander._ ” The Asari Councillor’s voice was as calm as ever, “ _Saren is a threat we can see. We recognise him as a very real danger. The Reapers, as far as we know and what the evidence we have suggests, only exist in your visions._ ”

The Salarian continued, “ _Our decisions affect trillions of lives. We cannot act on the word of a single person. Even if they are a Spectre. We need evidence or we very well could be responsible for untold destruction._ ”

“ _The Council cannot take any official action here. That is why we created the Spectres. You have the authority to act as you see fit._ ”

“ _If you truly believe that Sovereign is the real threat, you must take whatever actions you deem necessary to stop it. And Saren._ ” The Salarian’s tone told Shepard exactly what she didn’t want it to. Arguing this point with the Council any further would be pointless.

Shepard thought for a moment on the best way to word her request, “Then, I need a fleet Councillors. All of the information I’ve gathered tells me the Conduit is on Ilos. Saren likely has his own fleet orbiting the planet and I need to break through to get to the Conduit.”

All three Councillors bristled at the request, as Shepard knew they would. The Turian was the only one to answer, “ _Yes, you said as much in your report_.” He went quiet for a moment, “ _Return to the Citadel._ ”

The holograms abruptly disappeared before Shepard could get another word in. She was left slightly stunned at the Councillor’s sudden end of their conversation. She stood there for a minute before Joker’s voice came through the speakers above her, “ _Back to the Citadel then Shepard?_ ”

“I guess so… Doesn’t look like we have much of a choice.”

“ _Yes ma’am._ ”

 

* * *

 

**Wednesday, 10:30pm, 13 th of January 2183**

**Citadel Council Chambers, Citadel**

 

Shepard marched into the room behind Ambassador Udina and Captain Anderson. The Council was already in their places she noted. Hopefully they were going to grant her request and actually help her for once. They had to if they actually wanted to stop Saren not to mention Sovereign.

Udina spoke as they work, “Good job Shepard. Thanks to you the Council is finally taking real action against Saren!”

Shepard was almost immediately confused, “They changed their minds in the few hours it took me to get back to the Citadel?”

“Yes, it would seem so.”

“Ambassador, Commander, Captain, thank you for coming.” The Asari Councillor’s voice echoed through the chamber, drawing their attention, “The Council has decided to take your word on faith, Commander.” Shepard was taken aback by the Council’s sudden approval but pleased nonetheless, “If Saren is a great a threat as you say, we need to be ready for anything. If he is to attack the Citadel, he will find no easy purchase here.”

The Turian continued, “Patrols are stationed at every Mass Relay linking Citadel space to the Terminus Systems.”

Shepard’s joy at the Council’s decision began to fade, “What about Ilos? How many ships are you sending there?”

The Salarian Councillor drove the final nail into the coffin of Shepard’s plan, “Ilos is only accessible through the Mu Relay, deep inside the Terminus Systems, Commander. If we send a full-scale attack to Ilos itself, the only outcome will be all-out war.”

Udina turned his ever-frustrating attention to Shepard, “Now is the time for discretion, Shepard. Saren’s greatest weapon was secrecy. Exposed, he is no longer a threat. This is over.”

“Are you blind?” Shepard couldn’t hold her true thoughts in any longer, “Secrecy isn’t his weapon, the Conduit is! And if he gets his hands on it, the Reapers will wipe all life as we know it from the face of the galaxy!”

“Saren is a master manipulator.” The Salarian Councillor shook his head at Shepard’s outburst, “The Conduit is just a distraction from his real goal to attack the Citadel.”

Shepard couldn’t believe how they could all be so stupid. With the threat staring them in the face, the Council was curling up and protecting themselves, while really, they were letting themselves be destroyed. Her next words weren’t even thought about, knowing that her plan would likely end up in the Normandy being blown to kingdom come, “Then send me after them. One ship won’t start a war. The Normandy has stealth drives, and I can be discreet.”

The Turian scoffed at her, “Discreet? I wouldn’t call detonating a nuclear device on Virmire discreet.”

Unfortunately, the Asari Councillor echoed the Turian’s words. Shepard had though to rely on the more even temperament of the Asari, but she was out of luck, “Your style has served you well in the Traverse, Commander. We recognise that. But Ilos requires a deft touch. We have the situation under control.”

“BULLSHIT!” Shepard’s yell echoed in the chambers and silenced everyone within them, “If Saren finds the Conduit, we’re all dead! We have to get to Ilos before he does!”

The Turian Councillor ignored Shepard’s eruption, “Ambassador Udina, I get the sense Commander Shepard is not willing to let this go.”

Shepard didn’t even turn to face Udina as he spoke at her, “There are serious political implications here Shepard. Humanity’s made great gains thanks to you. But now you’re becoming more trouble than you’re worth.”

Shepard finally turned, taking a step closer to the Ambassador until she was towering over him. She had a few inches of height on him and her armour added to that even further. She didn’t say a word, simply staring down at him. She saw the sweat beading on his forehead and his throat move as he swallowed. Shepard was about to say something before a hand on her elbow stopped her. She turned, seeing it belonged to Anderson. The Captain spoke under his breath so only Shepard would hear, “Now isn’t the time. Trust me.”

As Shepard backed down, Udina looked all too pleased with himself, “It’s just politics Commander. You’ve done your job, now let me do mine. We’ve locked down all the Normandy’s primary systems. Until further notice, you’re grounded.”

Shepard saw red as Udina took a few steps away from her, “You son of a bitch. After all I’ve done, you repay me with a knife in the back?!” She almost closed the distance before Anderson grabbed both her elbows and attempted to haul her backwards. She activated her biotics, dragging the Captain with her as she drew closer, “You think you’re going to get away with this? You’ve killed us all!”

“Shepard!” Anderson hissed in her ear, “Not. Now.”

Udina looked genuinely frightened of the enraged biotic, but did his best to school his features into seeming as calm as he could, “I think it’s time for you to leave, Commander. This no longer concerns you. The Council will handle this, with my help, of course.”

Anderson had to essentially drag Shepard away. He was concerned that the Commander would simply break his grip on her and kill the Ambassador. She was definitely strong enough to do it. He was thankful she eventually relented and marched away from the Council Chambers, fury burning with her every step.

They got out of the chambers, standing in the lobby, Shepard still fuming at everything that had just happened. “I’m going to fucking kill him. I’m going to break that little motherfucker’s neck with my bare hands. I’m going to rip his heart out. I’m-”

“Shepard!” Anderson’s voice drew Shepard out of her haze, “Listen to me. There’s nothing you can do about it right now. The Council and Udina have played their hand, and it beat yours. No two ways about it.”

Shepard’s eyes radiated rage at the other Human, “What am I supposed to do, Anderson? Sit on my hands and watch the entire fucking galaxy die because they’re all too fucking stupid to do anything about the real threat?”

“I’m not asking you to do nothing.” Anderson drew closer and led her away from several onlookers who had begun to eavesdrop. “I’ve got an idea, but I have no idea if it’ll work. I need you to do exactly what I say, or there is zero chance of it happening. Can you do that?”

Shepard swallowed. At this point, she was willing to try anything. She knew taking the Normandy into the Terminus Systems was a giant gamble. Even if it didn’t start a war, getting to Ilos was going to be an even bigger problem. They’d have to make it through what she assumed would be an entire fleet of starships in orbit around the planet. And once they were planetside, who knew how many troops Saren had with him? Sovereign alone could carry thousands easily. The Normandy’s total crew ran at less than fifty. Shepard was a damn good soldier and the rest of her crew pulled their weight, but even they couldn’t beat those odds in a straight fight.

But then again, what other choice did she have at this point? “Yes, sir.”

“Go back to the Normandy. Wait there till I figure it all out. Got it?” Shepard only nodded in response. “Good. Now go.”

Commander Shepard marched away from Anderson, the Captain immediately taking off in another direction. They both had their roles to fill now if they wanted to pull this off.

 

* * *

 

**Wednesday, 11:10pm, 13 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Citadel**

 

Shepard hadn’t said a word when she’d returned to the Normandy. She had simply walked through the airlock and marched straight to her private quarters, closing the door behind her. The whole crew knew about the lockdown now, the dejected atmosphere filling the entre ship. They knew they’d failed, and there was nothing they could do about it.

Shepard sat at her desk, drumming her fingers across the hard surface. She was staring at her reflection in the visor of her helmet. She could see the bags under her eyes, the creased brow and dishevelled hair. Every indication that she was running on empty at this point. She knew she had the energy to keep going, but she wasn’t sure for how long. It would all depend on how long Anderson took to enact his plan, whatever that was.

She’d removed her armour, now sitting in basic fatigues. There was no point wearing it right now. Even if they could get the lockdown lifted, it would still take hours to get to Ilos. It was time they didn’t have but time Shepard could use. She had to ensure every system the Normandy had was working perfectly. If they weren’t, it would be a great way to get blown up by Saren’s fleet or Sovereign itself.

A knock at her door startled Shepard back to herself, “It’s open!” She didn’t turn as it opened, already knowing who it was from the footfalls.

Tali moved past the threshold, waiting for the door to close behind her. She looked around the room briefly, eyes finally falling onto Shepard. Eliza was facing away, flame-coloured hair splayed about her shoulders in a mess. Tali knew from the way her shoulders were slumped that Eliza was a moment away from giving up. Kaidan’s death and the Normandy’s lockdown had come close to breaking her, that much was obvious.

“Any way to lift the lockdown, Tali?”

The Quarian moved past Eliza, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Not from here. The Normandy’s cyber warfare suite would keep me out for too long to make it worthwhile trying.”

“Thought so. Doesn’t hurt to ask.”

Tali studied the Human for a moment. “Are you ok, Eliza?”

Eliza finally turned to look at Tali, “Of course. We’ll figure a way out of this.”

“That’s not what I meant. Forget the mission for a second.” Tali leaned forward, “Are you ok?”

Eliza swallowed. She should’ve predicted that Tali would see right through her. She had an incredible talent for that, “Honestly? No.” Eliza rubbed at her eyes, “But it doesn’t matter how I am. I have to keep going.”

“And you can’t keep going if you’re mind isn’t focused.”

“Tali. Trust me. I’m fine. I talked to… someone who put everything into perspective.”

“You know you don’t have to be, right?”

Eliza raised an eyebrow, “What?”

“You don’t have to be ok. At least… not with me.” Tali went quiet for a few moments, hoping she hadn’t overstepped some unspoken line. When Eliza said nothing, “I’m here if you need to, talk or anything.”

Eliza leant forward in her chair, staring at the floor with her hands clasped behind her neck. “Can it be now?” Her voice came out a whisper, Tali barely catching she’d said anything. She noticed that Eliza’s whole posture had changed, opening herself up, becoming vulnerable.

Tali was slightly taken aback but she definitely wasn’t going to say no, “Of course.”

She began slowly, “I’ve lost soldiers before. Only a few, but it’s never felt like this. I’ve never felt so guilty for it. Like it was my fault.” She felt a mist of tears began to prick at her eyes, gone with a few quick blinks. “I keep wondering if there was something I could’ve done differently. Some way I could’ve stopped Kaidan from dying.”

“Maybe there wasn’t anything you could’ve done.”

Eliza looked up, “There wasn’t. I know that much. And I have to live with that.” She paused for a moment, wondering if she should tell Tali more. It did feel better to get it all out in the open with someone who wasn’t her mother. “The person I spoke to put it like this; I can either let it consume me, or I can move on with the pain. But… I don’t know if I can.” She shook her head, “I can finish this mission, but after…”

“You’ll get through it.” Tali’s words earned a raised eyebrow from Eliza, “You will. It might take time, but you will. You’re by far the strongest person I know Eliza, and I mean, let’s face it, I’ve only known you a few weeks, so that’s saying something.” She could see a slight colouring come to Eliza’s cheeks, “And if you can’t do it alone, I’ll help any way I can.”

Eliza smiled. A genuine smile she didn’t think she’d be able to give for a long time, but here she was. “Thanks Tali. It means a lot.”

Tali smiled back, just visible through the glass of her visor, “Anytime Eliza.”

They both stood to their feet, standing awkwardly for a few moments. With barely a thought, Eliza moved forward and wrapped her arms around the Quarians shoulders, squeezing her tightly in a hug. She wasn’t entirely certain what had possessed her to do it, but it did feel right. Tali only stayed still for a second before wrapping her own arms around Eliza’s chest in response. “You’re a good friend Tali.”

Friend. Eliza didn’t notice as Tali tensed her muscles at the word. That wasn’t what Tali wanted to be, but it was where she was at this moment in time. Maybe in the future, when all this was over, that could change.

“ _Commander, message coming through from Captain Anderson._ ” Joker’s voice startled the two women apart, Tali beginning to move toward the door.

“Let’s hear it Joker.”

“ _He said to meet him at Flux, that club down on the wards._ ”

“Tell him I’m on my way.”

“ _Yes ma’am_.”

Eliza moved to the other side of the room, pulling a harness and pistol from one of the drawers. Within seconds, she had the weapon strapped to her thigh. She turned to find Tali waiting near the door. “Sure you don’t want your full armour?”

“I don’t think this sort of situation really calls for that.” Eliza blinked a few times, “At least, I really hope it doesn’t. Fighting my way out of the Citadel wouldn’t exactly be the best move. This,” She patted the pistol at her side, “Is just a precaution.”

“Need any help?”

She considered Tali’s offer carefully. “No. If this meeting is going to be what I think it is, the less of us that are seen moving around the Citadel, the better.” Eliza opened the door and kept speaking while walking backwards, “Stay here and have everyone prep the Normandy for take-off. I want to be gone as soon as we can.”

“Yes Commander.” Tali gave a salute, Eliza chuckling and returning it before spinning around and starting out in a jog through the Normandy’s halls.

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 12:10am, 14 th of January 2183**

**Flux, Citadel**

 

Shepard calmly walked through the doors of Flux, senses immediately overwhelmed by the packed club and bass-driven music. People danced and twisted everywhere, only the bars themselves and the very edges of the room were somewhat empty.

Shepard rapidly scanned the room, searching for Anderson. She noticed several men and women trying to catch her attention but ignored them completely. She finally saw her target, making her way over to him as nonchalantly as she could. She slipped into the seat next to him, taking the drink offered to her by the Captain.

“Couldn’t have picked somewhere louder?” Shepard could barely hear herself think and had to shout for Anderson to even hear her.

Anderson leaned closer till he was as close as he could be without actually invading Shepard’s personal space, “Less chance of being overheard. Hopefully no one knows what we’re doing till after its done.” He breathed in, launching into his plan, “You have to go to Ilos, that much is obvious. The Council and Udina think Saren is no longer a threat, but we both know that’s bullshit. If he gets the Conduit, we’re done for.”

“And I assume you’ve got a plan to get the Normandy out of lockdown?”

“Called you as soon as I figured it out. Citadel Control’s locked out everything that makes the Normandy flight worthy. But, even they can’t unlock it. Only the Ambassador can do that.”

Shepard turned sharply in her seat, a dark look passing over her face, “I am not going to go grovel to that son of a bitch.” She slammed her fist down on the table, drawing the attention of a few nearby patrons of the club. She gave them a stare which dared any of them to react and they all turned away. Shepard continued, “And I doubt the Embassy’s security would let me get anywhere near him anyway.”

“I don’t need you to do anything with Udina, that’s where I come in. I can get to his office, override his orders and lift the Normandy’s lockdown. You can be in the Terminus Systems before anyone even knows you’re gone.”

“And where does that leave you?” Shepard instantly recognised the implications of what Anderson was offering to do for her. At minimum it would end with him being punished by both the Alliance military and the Citadel Council. At worst, it could lead to his execution for treason. She didn’t want either of those for her former commanding officer. “You get the Normandy out of lockdown and you’re the one left here to face all of the consequences. We steal the Normandy, you get blamed.”

“And if we don’t, then Saren finds the Conduit, and life as we know it is over. The Reapers will destroy us all. This is our only option.”

“I can’t let you do this, Anderson. You’ll be-”

Anderson interrupted her sharply, “Shepard. Now is not the time to try to save me. You’re the only one who can stop Saren. So, I’ll do whatever it takes to get you on the Normandy and off this station. My life is not worth the entire galaxy’s.” Shepard went silent, Anderson waiting for her inevitable argument on this point. He was surprised when she gave none. “Now, you’ll only have a few minutes to get the Normandy out of here before everyone realises what I’ve done. You need to be gone before that happens.”

“I’ve already got the crew getting what they can ready.”

Anderson nodded, “Good, they’re going to need to be fast.”

Shepard stood from the table, almost saluting Anderson before remembering they were trying not to be noticed. “Good luck, Anderson.”

“Same to you Shepard. Go kill that Turian bastard for me.”

Shepard chuckled, “Will do, sir.” She spun on her heel, moving away from the Captain as quickly as she could.

Anderson waited a few minutes before heading out of Flux himself. He rolled out his neck, preparing himself for what was to come. He almost hoped Udina was in his office. He couldn’t wait to see the look on the smug bastard’s face for himself and wipe it off with his fist.

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 12:40am, 14 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Citadel**

 

Shepard stood impatiently behind Joker’s chair, staring at the console in front of the pilot. The crew had done everything they could to get the Normandy flight-ready without actually being able to use any of the systems properly. Every safety check was done and everyone in their assigned places.

She knew she shouldn’t have been surprised when the crew all agreed to go along with her plan, knowing for a fact they’d all be charged with treason for carrying it out. Every single one had already decided to follow Shepard to the end of this mission, no matter where it led. Shepard had never felt prouder to lead a group of men and women than this one. It would make it all the sweeter when they took down Saren and Sovereign together.

Joker looked up at Shepard, raising an eyebrow in question. “Just give Anderson a minute, he’ll come through.” Joker didn’t say anything, turning back to his console. Not more than a few seconds later, the display lit up with every system going active at once. They heard the docking clamps release from the Normandy’s sides. “Get us out of here Joker, now!”

The Normandy instantly began to move, retreating from the docking bay and turning around on the spot. Joker set the engines to their max power almost immediately, “Hold on tight everyone, this is going to be a bumpy ride.”

Shepard grabbed onto a nearby handhold as the ship accelerated away at breakneck speeds. Still under the effect of the Citadel’s gravity, the insides shuddered slightly with their velocity and the Commander actually found it difficult to stay on her feet properly. Soon, they exited the space station’s influence and the ship calmed down to a more manageable level.

“How long to Ilos Joker?”

The pilot rapidly calculated the flight time on his display, “We’ve got to make a few jumps to get to the same system as the Mu Relay, and that thing’s nowhere particularly close to anything, so the Normandy’s engines will have to get us there by themselves. I’d say at least six hours.”

“Get us there as fast as you can. We need to either beat Saren there or soon after.”

“Yes ma’am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Ilos next!


	13. Ilos-Bound

**Thursday, 12:30am, 14 th of January 2183**

**Human Embassy, Citadel**

 

Anderson slowed his stride as he approached the Human embassy. It wouldn’t do to look like he was in a hurry at this point in time and especially with what he was planning to do. It was late at night, the Citadel’s artificial sun light dimmed to match it.

The streets around the embassy were nearly deserted, only a few dignitaries leaving the embassies themselves. Anderson’s presence could be considered as suspicious, but considering he’d been working with Udina for the past few weeks he sincerely hoped none of the guards would question him. He was not relishing having to knock them out, but he would if he had to. There was too much at stake to keep the conduct he would normally have around them.

The Captain calmly walked across the open space towards the embassy itself. The guards noticed his presence but luckily only responded with a nod and a “Sir.”. Anderson nodded in return, not trusting himself to say anything and maybe give away how nervous he actually was with what he was about to do. He’d agonized over the decision to commit treason for this. He’d known Udina was going to lockdown the Normandy before Shepard got back to the Citadel, but had no way of contacting the Commander fast enough. By the time she’d arrived in the Council chambers, the Normandy was already lost. But Shepard needed to get out of here, and Anderson was damn sure going to play his part even if it could cost him his life in the process. He wouldn’t let the galaxy die because the Ambassador decided to play politician with trillions of lives, not when he could do something about it.

The halls towards Udina’s office seemed to stretch on forever, far more than they normally did. He’d never liked coming here but had done his duty nonetheless. Anderson was nothing if not a loyal soldier of the Alliance, even if he was betraying that very institution right now.

Anderson checked every office he passed, glad to find not a single occupant still present. Udina would likely try to raise the alarm, and the longer Anderson could give Shepard before that alarm was raised the better. He knew the Commander wouldn’t actually need more than a few minutes, but it was better to be safe than sorry. He rounded the corner to the atrium before Udina’s office, glad to see that even the Ambassador’s guards weren’t present. Either Udina wasn’t here, or the guards had left for the night. Both were positives for Anderson.

As he approached the door, his hand reached down and wrapped around the grip of the pistol at his hip. Anderson hesitated at the threshold, one hand on the weapon and the other hovering over the panel to open the door. Using the pistol against the Ambassador, even as only a threat, would definitely lead to him being executed. His grip relaxed, deciding to only use the pistol as an absolute last resort. From his knowledge of Udina, the man had no formal combat training, so his fists would likely be able to take the Ambassador down easily if needed.

Anderson pressed on the panel, opening the door. His eyes instantly found Udina sitting at his desk, the Ambassador standing up quickly and questioning the Captain immediately, “Captain Anderson. What are you doing here?” Anderson very briefly considered trying to talk Udina down. Surely the man had to have some sense? But no, that wasn’t the most efficient choice and every second counted right now. The Captain marched across the room in a wide arc, rounding the desk and approaching the Ambassador himself. “What-”

Captain Anderson did not let Ambassador Udina get another single word out. His fist swung in a vicious cross, catching the side of Udina’s face at full force. Anderson felt the other man’s head snap sideways as his blow landed, sending the Ambassador spinning away. Udina fell, his head striking the desk on the way down and leaving a small streak of blood on the desk itself. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

Anderson quickly made sure Udina was still breathing. He was, but a brilliant bruise was spreading across his cheek even as the Captain looked on. He’d at least broken the man’s cheek bone with that blow and a nasty gash was now open on Udina’s forehead. Anderson looked at it for an instant, concluding that it wasn’t serious but would definitely require stitches at least.

He did what he came her to do, taking the seat that Udina had just so kindly vacated. Luckily for him, the Ambassador had not locked the console before he’d stood up, allowing Anderson almost immediate access to the lockdown of the Normandy. He ran into a snag, a second layer of encryption on the lockdown itself. He pulled his omni-tool out, connecting it up and running his trusty hacking program on the firewall. It went down within a minute, allowing Anderson to do what he came here to do.

Anderson deactivated the Normandy’s lockdown, accessing the Citadel’s cameras of the Normandy’s docking bay and watching as the clamps let the stealth warship go. He smiled as the Normandy backed away and spun toward space before accelerating hard. He’d done it. Now it was all up to Shepard and her crew to see it through.

 

* * *

 

**Thursday, 12:55am, 14 th of January 2183**

**SSV Normandy SR-1, Widow System**

 

Shepard had gathered the entire crew in the mess hall of the Normandy, herself standing up near the sleeping pods of the crew. Joker had put the ship onto autopilot to their destination and was sitting up on the counter of the kitchen. Shepard considered yelling at him to get down, that everyone ate there, but relented given what they were about to face. They all deserved to break the rules a little, considering they’d just committed treason against both the Alliance and the Citadel.

“I said to myself I didn’t need to give a speech to rouse everyone into action.” Some of the crew chuckled, knowing that Shepard had every intention of giving a speech whether they wanted her to or not. “I’d planned to try to convince any doubters of the sanity of stealing the Normandy, but as it would appear, you’re all just as insane as I am.” She paused, “Well… maybe not as much as me. That’s a hard bar to meet.” Shepard waited for the crew’s laughter to die down before she got to the more serious part of her speech, “I said at the start of this mission that we’d see it through to the end and stop Saren. Admittedly, that has grown into an even more monumental task with the threat of Sovereign. But I meant it. I wasn’t going to stop, no matter what it took. The fact that you were all willing to follow me into committing treason… I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay any of you for that level of trust. I’m proud to be the Commander of the Normandy. I’m proud of the entire crew of this ship.” The crew cheered at her words. “Now, let’s go kill Saren, AND SAVE THE WHOLE GOD DAMN GALAXY!”

The crew cheered, Joker’s voice somehow rising above the rest, “LET’S HEAR IT FOR COMMANDER SHEPARD!”

“SHEPARD! SHEPARD! SHEPARD!” The Normandy’s crew’s voices were almost deafening Shepard, but that didn’t stop the huge smile spreading across her face.

Shepard held up her hands for quiet, taking a full minute before everyone actually obeyed, “Now, if Joker’s right, we’ll be at Ilos in about six hours. I need all of you to be ready when we get there. Everyone is to be at the stations by 0600. Get your sleep, eat, whatever you need. Dismissed.”

The crew dispersed away, some walking past Shepard into their sleeping pods, others back to their stations. The Commander herself moved with purpose to Joker’s side as he slowly lowered himself down from the counter. “Again with the speeches Shepard. Maybe you will finally get me into the field.”

“You’d put us all to shame Joker, I’m sure.”

Joker could hear how tired Shepard was just from her voice, the fact that she was leaning on the counter so heavily was just icing on the cake, “You should probably listen to your own orders. Get some sleep.”

“At this point, I’m not even sure I could sleep.”

“Just get Wrex to punch you. Same effect.”

Shepard turned her head and narrowed her eyes at the pilot, “Remind me to never take your advice Joker.”

Joker snickered as he hobbled away, “The day you or I listen to the other’s advice is the day hell freezes over.”

Shepard called out after him, “The difference is I give good advice.” Joker laughed even harder as he started up the stairs to the upper deck of the Normandy. Shepard shook her head, moving away from the counter and towards her quarters.

She came around the corner, finding Wrex waiting for her just outside the door. The Krogan looked up at her footsteps, standing tall from where he’d been leaning on the wall. He took slow steps toward the Human, stopping only when he was less than a foot from Shepard. “I’m coming with you to Ilos.” It wasn’t a request from the Krogan. This was a statement of fact, a command if Shepard was honest.

“I didn’t realise you set the ground team Wrex.” Shepard’s tone was jovial, but there was a bit of an edge to it as well. He was used to getting his way, and her gentle jab made him narrow his eyes. She instantly saw that her words had been taken a little bit the wrong way. “You are on the ground team, Wrex. Couldn’t do it without our resident Krogan. Plus, I did promise you Saren’s head.”

Wrex grunted his affirmation, “Yes. That you did.” He took a step around Shepard, actually seeming to take care not to bump her. “Hope you’re ready to kill him this time Shepard.”

She knew it was meant as a joke, but Shepard took those words to heart. She’d been weak on Virmire. She should’ve had Saren on the ropes when they’d been fighting hand-to-hand. Her biotics made her stronger than most Krogan and even with Saren’s own, she should’ve been able to overpower him. She thought back to the fight, analysing every split-second decision she’d made during it. Shepard quickly realised one thing. She hadn’t been trying to kill the Turian, whether that was a conscious decision or not she couldn’t decide.

Shepard’s confidence at their chances of victory wavered slightly. They needed to catch up with Saren, that much was true. He would definitely get to Ilos before them. The length of his lead would entirely depend on how fast he could get Sovereign to fly there. The Reaper was known as Saren’s flagship, so it would be near impossible to fly the huge dreadnought anywhere in Citadel Space without ships either giving chase or firing upon it. That would give the Normandy an advantage, they could travel where Saren couldn’t, cutting down their flight time. But still, even with that disadvantage, Ilos would be in their sights before the Normandy’s.

And if they did manage to catch up to Saren and get to the Turian himself, what then? How many Geth would he command to attack them and could they fight through the swarm to get to their ultimate target? The synthetics might even be able to hold them off long enough for Saren to activate the Conduit and bring about the Reaper’s destruction of all life in the galaxy. Shepard knew she couldn’t let that happen but all the same, it was a worrying thought.

Shepard had no idea how long she was standing at the door to her quarters till a cough reached her ears from a few steps away. The Commander turned find Garrus waiting for her, the Turian holding out a cup of coffee. Shepard was confused by the gesture but accepted it nonetheless, “What’s this for?”

“I don’t think either of us are going to be sleeping and coffee seems to have the same effect on you levo species that-” Shepard’s translator spat out a garbled word that she couldn’t make heads or tails of. She had to assume it was whatever Garrus was drinking in the Turian language, “-has on dextro species. Can’t have you falling sleep on Ilos.”

Shepard took a sip, trying to hide her grimace at the beverage. Still couldn’t drink it without forcing herself to after all these years. “Thanks. I was going to try to sleep, but you’re probably right.” She began to walk back towards the kitchen, “But I’m going to need a hell of a lot more sugar in this.”

Garrus followed her around, leaning against the counter as she mixed in the copious amount of the sweetening powder. “Saren’s going to throw everything he has at us on Ilos.”

“That he is. I just hope we don’t have to tangle with Sovereign itself. Joker’s a good pilot, but I doubt even he can avoid that things weapons forever.” Shepard thought for a moment, tapping the spoon on the side of her mug. “Although, maybe we can use that to our advantage.”

“How in the hell is getting Sovereign to attack the Normandy an advantage?”

“It’s not, per se. But… with what we know about indoctrination, maybe we can keep Sovereign busy and talk to Saren himself.” Shepard noticed that Garrus was almost definitely not on board with this plan. “If Sovereign is preoccupied taking down the Normandy, perhaps it won’t be able to control Saren as much as it needs to. If we can get through to him, even for a minute, we might be able to talk him down from helping the Reapers. Or at the very least, give an opening for us to kill him in the confusion.”

“That’s assuming Sovereign is directly controlling Saren.”

“It’s only an idea, but if it works, we might just be able to take Saren down a hell of a lot more easily.”

“You’d be risking the entire ship on that gamble.”

Shepard nodded, putting that plan on the backburner, “Yeah… but if everything else fails, it’s one idea.”

Garrus stood back to his feet, beginning to move toward the elevator, “You were right Shepard, we’re not as insane as you.”

Shepard laughed as the Turian walked away, “Not even close.”

“Speaking of insanity…”

Shepard jumped at the sound of another voice and spun to face the owner, nearly spilling her drink, “Jesus!” Her hand went to her chest, feeling her now racing heart, “I thought you were a medical professional! Doesn’t giving your patients heart attacks go against your oath or something?!”

Doctor Chakwas smiled at the Commander, “If that’s the only way to get your attention, I intend to give you a heart attack every time I need you in the medbay Commander.” She raised a hand pointing at Shepard and then into the Normandy’s medbay, “And right now, I need you in there.”

Shepard emptied the mug down her throat, scowling and sticking her tongue out at the taste, “Is it really necessary?” She wasn’t actually arguing with the Doctor, already moving towards the medbay on her own.

Once they were inside, the door locked and the window's privacy protocols active, Chakwas answered, “You’ve been shot twice and had several fractures in the last few weeks Commander. Standard Alliance procedure to have a full medical check-up before more active service, especially with your position and the fire you are about to likely walk through. You’ve avoided it for the last several ground-missions, but you’re not getting out of it now.”

Shepard grinned at the Doctor, “We did just technically commit treason Doctor Chakwas, so I’m not sure that Alliance protocols apply, considering we'll all definitely be dishonourably discharged when we get back along with whatever other punishments the Alliance deems fit.”

Chakwas folded her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes at the Commander, “And if you want to get to that point, I’d suggest you let me look you over or the next thing you'll be doing is explaining to the crew why you can’t go to Ilos with them. And the answer will be you've been deemed medically unfit for service and you’re strapped to a bed in this very room drugged into a coma.”

Shepard’s grin faded away almost instantly, staring at the Doctor with wide eyes, unsure if she was kidding or not. She opted on the side that she wasn’t, just in case, “Yes ma’am.”

Doctor Chakwas smiled and unfolded her arms, moving over to her examining bed, “That’s what I thought. Remember Shepard, I’m the commanding officer in this room. Even _you_ have to do what I say.” Shepard nodded, her grin coming back ever so slightly. “Now, strip down and lay on the bed.”

Shepard did as she was told, preferring this to the alternative. Chakwas began with the bullet wound on her thigh, nearly healed over now. She cut each one of the stitches, pulling the thread from the Commander’s skin slowly. Shepard shut her eyes and concentrated on her breathing, blocking out the pain from the Doctor’s movements.

“Healed up nicely. Keep this over it for Ilos though, don’t need you reinjuring it.” Shepard lifted her leg and allowed the Doctor to wrap a small bandage around her thigh. It was at just the right amount of tension, still allowing her to move the leg with her full range of movement. Chakwas had worked on too many soldiers like Shepard who keep fighting despite being injured and had learned how to keep them in it without further injury. “Tell me if you feel any pain.” The Doctor pressed down on each of the ribs Shepard had injured, a little surprised when the Commander gave no indication of any pain whatsoever. “This only works if you actually tell me Commander. Pain isn’t something you need to ignore here.”

Shepard almost protested, “They still hurt.” She saw there was no point in lying now.

“Not much I can do for those unfortunately. Try to avoid getting hit in the chest.” Chakwas continued onto the last of the Commander’s new injuries, the glancing bullet wound on her arm. It was practically completely healed over, only a scar remaining. “Another scar for your collection Shepard.”

“My arm was looking a bit bare; thought I’d spruce it up.”

“May I recommend a tattoo next time? Less chance of possible permanent injury.” Chakwas stepped away, typing her notes into her console. “You may get dressed Commander.”

Shepard pulled her clothes back on, waiting for Doctor Chakwas to turn back around before speaking, “Am I cleared for duty, ma’am?”

“You are, Commander.” Shepard made to leave, “However.” The Commander turned back around only a foot away from the door, “I would like to talk to you before you go. Not as a Doctor, as a friend.”

Shepard was slightly taken aback but came back to sit in the seat opposite Chakwas, “Of course.”

“The past several hours have been quite hectic. I wanted to make sure you’re doing alright. I know Kaidan was a friend.”

Shepard half-smiled, “I’m fine Doctor. I spoke with my mother; she helped a lot.”

Chakwas nodded, “Hannah always has been good at that. I served on the same ship as her for a while you know.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Mmm. Friend to everyone.” The Doctor chuckled to herself, “Except the CO, but you know why that was.” She paused for a moment, “She always gives excellent advice.”

“That she does.” Shepard leaned back in her chair, letting her mirth fade away, “I’ll… we’ll hold a funeral for Kaidan when this is all over. I owe him that much.”

“I think he’d like that.” Chakwas studied Shepard for a moment, seeing the grief that was still within her, “He was always proud of you, you know.” Shepard lowered her head to look at Chakwas properly, “I believe he described you as the best commanding officer he ever served under, and that’s a long list, including Captain Anderson I believe. Although he also said you were also the most stubborn person he’d ever met, always arguing every single little thing.”

“Stubbornness runs in my family it seems.”

Chakwas laughed, “Hannah is just as stubborn as you when I’m was trying to help her with wounds. Amazing how similar you two are really.” She leaned towards Shepard, training her face into a grave expression. “Now, for a far more serious topic.”

Shepard swallowed, unsure of Doctor Chakwas’ sudden change of tone, “And uhhh, what would that be?” A conspiratorial smirk spread across the Doctor’s lips, raising Shepard’s concern even higher. She wasn’t going to like this line of conversation; she could tell that right now.

“Have you thought any more about our Quarian crew member?”

Shepard’s mouth fell open as she let go of a breath, she didn’t realise she’d been holding, her facing turning red under Chakwas’ gaze. She tried and failed to get words out several times, stunned that the Doctor was still pushing her along this particular avenue. She just managed to stammer out, “I told you last time, maybe when the mission is done.”

“It would seem it is almost finished.”

Shepard looked down, mind now racing with thoughts, “Close to it.”

“And?”

The Commander thought over the last time Doctor Chakwas had asked her this question. Would she say anything to Tali? It would definitely be after the mission, no question about that, but how soon after? “I have thought about it.” She felt the corners of her lips twitch up, but managed to rein in her facial muscles to prevent it turning into a proper smile. “I think… I’ll say _something_ to her. Against my better judgement.”

Doctor Chakwas gave the warmest smile Shepard had yet seen from the older woman, “As I said before, you’ll kick yourself if you don’t.”

“What… what if she doesn’t reciprocate though?” Shepard wasn’t sure if she could handle being rejected my Tali. What she felt for the Quarian was beyond mere physical attraction, although that was definitely there.

“Not used to rejection I take it?”

Shepard blushed hard, “Well… no. I’m usually the one being asked to be honest. Or it’s entirely,” She coughed, “…physical.”

“Ah, that would explain the reprimands in your file.” Shepard looked away at being called out on her past indiscretions with other female soldiers and some of the Asari who had trained her. She wasn’t embarrassed by them, but it wasn’t a subject she enjoyed talking out. “Trust me. Tali won’t reject you. All you have to do is say something.”

Shepard raised an eyebrow, “I wish I shared your confidence.” That was the truth. Whatever Doctor Chakwas saw, Shepard definitely didn’t. She wasn’t even sure if Tali was interested in women let alone if she would be willing to even try with Shepard herself. But if she didn’t say anything, she’d never know. Shepard sighed as she rose to her feet, “Thanks Doctor.”

“You’re welcome Commander.”

Shepard nodded, leaving the medbay and marching straight for her quarters. She needed to clear her head and being around other people wasn’t going to help in the slightest. Her mind needed to be focused back on the mission, and not on anything to do with a certain crew member.

She pulled up all the information they had on Ilos, what little there was. The vision from the beacon only signified its importance and the location of the Conduit itself. It gave nothing away in terms of what the planet was like. She wouldn’t even be able to develop a proper strategy for attacking Saren’s forces.

What little Liara had been able to tell her was that Ilos used to be a jewel of the Prothean empire, but Shepard very much doubted it was anything like the way it was 50,000 years ago. Nearly every building would likely be a crumbling ruin, and more than likely nothing that the Protheans left behind would be working. This did include the Conduit itself, but Shepard didn’t need to think about the possibility of their very goal not even being functional. That would defeat the entire purpose of the mission and make them committing treason utterly pointless.

Then she ran into the problem of even what crew members she would be bringing for her ground team. With Kaidan’s death, it lessened her options as well. Ashley was injured, her gunshot wounds from Virmire were even more serious than they had first appeared. She’d already read through Doctor Chakwas’ report on the Chief’s injuries and ruled her out.

Wrex was coming, given that she’d just promised the Krogan that very thing and she wasn’t about to break it. Shepard didn’t need Wrex being angry at her.

Tali was the next obvious choice, given how many Geth they’d likely be facing. Shepard shook her head, avoiding thinking about the Quarian more than was necessary. She didn’t need her mind wandering to less mission-focused thoughts especially considering her talk with the good Doctor.

That only left Liara and Garrus. Liara had the Prothean knowhow to get them through the ruins far more efficiently than they would otherwise. But bringing her had the significant drawback of her lessened fighting ability compared to her Turian alternative. Shepard had seen her impressive biotics on Noveria, but she was still a novice when it came to using them tactically, and this mission would require tactical perfection, something Liara for the moment lacked. It wasn’t something Shepard could teach her in the time they had or while on the mission.

Shepard was left with the team she seemed to always end up with; Wrex, Tali and Garrus. Their combination of skills worked well and it didn’t hurt they were all experienced at least in some way. Wrex with his centuries of combat, Tali with her genius-engineering and Garrus with his exemplary marksmanship. She sent the message to each of them, ensuring they would be ready for the battle to come. They’d barely left Virmire six hours ago and now they were going to be in another part of the galaxy entirely to take on the same enemy in another six. They had to be prepared for anything.

And to be fully prepared, she needed to clear her mind completely.

The Commander moved to the centre of her room, stripping off her fatigues and pulling her workout clothes on. She fell forward onto her hands, pushing her body up into a perfect handstand. Upside down, she could feel her hair just touching the ground. Shepard breathed in and out slowly, focusing on the muscles holding her up. She slowly split her legs till they were once more parallel with each other. As they went back up, her mind emptied of everything but the slight burn of her muscles. Slowly, Shepard began to lower her body down and back up, only straightening her arms when she felt the top of her head touch the ground properly.

Exercise like this before a battle or mission had always calmed Shepard’s nerves and eliminated any other thoughts that had been plaguing her. It worked even now, with the weight of the whole galaxy on her shoulders.

She stopped at the apex of the movement, exhaling hard before raising her right arm from the floor and pushing it out for balance. Her exercise resumed, using only her left arm’s strength to do the movement. Shepard resisted using her biotics, forcing her body to do all of the work. Very quickly, her skin was covered in a thin sheen of sweat. She switched arms, forcing her right to do the same amount of work.

After nearly an hour and many switches, Shepard was satisfied. She placed both hands back on the floor, springing back onto her feet. A thought had occurred to her while she was upside down, sitting back down at her desk. The console booted to life and she began to type away.

Getting the crew to commit treason was one thing, but any of them being blamed was something she couldn’t stomach. Shepard drafted a letter, one that would hopefully stop any punishment going to anyone but herself. She took full responsibility of the theft of the Normandy, absolving everyone else of any wrongdoing, including Captain Anderson. She almost pressed send right then and there, but held off. Maybe they could still make this right. Probably not, but still.

Shepard sighed. She was at minimum going to be dishonourably discharged for this. Her military career was over, even if they did manage to defeat Saren and Sovereign. More than likely, she’d be put in prison for life or just executed. Execution would probably be better. Get it out of the way.

Her ears pricked up at the sound of footsteps approaching her door. Three-toed footsteps. She stiffened. She knew Tali was just about to knock on that door and all she’d done to put the Quarian from her mind beyond a tactical standpoint would be for naught. Shepard leapt to the door, deciding to just face it. She pressed her ear to the door, waiting for just the right moment. She slowed her breathing to nothing, needing to hear through the thick metal door.

Tali took the last few steps towards Shepard’s door, raising her hand to knock. Barely a few inches from the metal, the door opened, sending the Quarian stumbling forward a step, “Keelah!”

Shepard caught Tali with a hand on each shoulder, grinning down at the young woman, “Got you.”

Tali straightened up, forcing words out through her embarrassment and the current rush of blood to her cheeks, “This is for when I scared you at the door, isn’t it?”

“Bingo.”

“I’ll just have to get you back sometime.” Tali walked past the Commander into the room and Shepard swore she saw the Quarian wink at her.

Eliza followed, “Until one of us has a heart attack.” The door hissed shut behind her. With anyone else she would have questioned their audacity at entering her quarters uninvited but Tali was the exception. Eliza froze, shaking her head. She had to stop thinking like that. At least until after the mission was done. She didn’t need that particular distraction of Tali… alone with her… in her room.

“Tried sleeping?” Tali sat down on the edge of the bed, Eliza trying to sit down as nonchalantly as she could a little distance away from the Quarian.

“Not yet. Figured I wouldn’t even try. Don’t think I’d even be able to if I did try. You?”

“Tried. And failed. Sleeping pods aren’t 100 percent comfortable at the best of times.” Tali turned her head to look at Eliza, “I went down to engineering for a bit, but couldn’t find anything down there to do. Assumed you wouldn’t be asleep either, so I came up.” She looked the Human up and down, noticing her still-sweaty skin and flaming hair in a messy ponytail. “What were you doing before I came in?” Tali was genuinely interested. She’d seen Eliza doing a lot of varied exercises that she’d never think of doing herself. Now that she was going into firefights often, Tali found herself feeling she was significantly lacking in the physical strength department.

“Writing a letter.” Eliza knew what she was really asking but looked at Tali with a serious expression.

“Writing a letter makes you sweat?”

“Oh yeah. Important letter and all.” She let a grin through the façade, “Got to get it right.”

“Uh huh.” Tali remained staring at Eliza, her glowing eyes boring into Eliza’s green ones.

Finally, Eliza relented under Tali’s gaze and stood to her feet. “Okay okay. I was doing this.” She pushed herself into a handstand and began her upside-down push-ups again. She held herself at the top, “Happy?”

Tali cocked her head, running her eyes up and then down Eliza’s body. She couldn’t help the warmness spreading through her chest, and hoped her visor would hide any clues as to exactly what she was thinking. Instead, she asked a question. “Think I can do that?”

Eliza got back on her feet, holding out her hands to the Quarian, “Only one way to find out I suppose.” Tali allowed herself to be pulled to her feet and moved to the centre of the room. Eliza took a few steps back, “Now, try to go into a handstand. I’ll steady you if you need it.”

Tali hadn’t exactly seen this particular scenario happening in Eliza’s room when she’d come up from the cargo bay, but she was willing to try. She leaned forward, bracing her hands on the ground and pushing off with her legs, her lower limbs flailing in the air slightly as they rose above her thin frame. “Like this?”

Eliza tried to suppress a laugh as Tali’s legs wobbled in the air, placing a gentle hold on the Quarian’s calves. “A bit more balanced, but close.” She waited until Tali had her balance, releasing most of the force from her grip. “Now focus on your breathing. Breathe in. Breathe out.” Tali did as instructed, already starting to feel the burn in her arm muscles. “Now, you need to breath in on the downwards motion and breath out as you come back up. Take your time. I’ll catch you if you fall.”

Tali breathed in and out a few more times before attempting to imitate Eliza’s previous example. She lowered herself down, feeling the weight of her entire body pressing on each palm, her arms feeling like they might give out at any moment. She reached the bottom of the exercise, feeling her helmet lightly brush the ground. Tali pushed down with all her might, her arms shaking from the exertion as she ascended. She let out full lungs of air she didn’t realise she’d been holding in as she got to the top.

Eliza let go of Tali’s calves, allowing her to drop back to the ground. She sat down on the floor next to the Quarian, grinning as Tali looked up. “Excellent for a first try. But your breathing was terrible.”

Tali was still just trying to catch her breath, arms still shaking from only doing one push-up. She let out a small laugh, “Hard to focus on breathing when it feels like my arms are going to fall off.”

Eliza smiled, valiantly struggling to avoid laughing, “I remember trying that for the first time. Pretty sure I still have the bruise under my hair.” She rubbed at the back of her head, the fond memory surfacing in her mind. “My mom was so concerned when I came into her office crying, until I told her how I’d done it. Then she was laughing.”

“Crying? From a bump on the head?” Tali was extremely confused, “I’ve seen you be headbutt by Krogan and not so much as blink.”

“Krogan headbutts hurt less than you think. And, I was nine at the time. Cut me some slack.”

“Nine?” Tali giggled at Eliza’s admission, “I can imagine it now. Little Eliza Shepard trying her first handstand push-up. You must’ve been very cute.”

Eliza blushed and smiled, “I like to think so. At least until I became a teenager. Then oof… don’t want to see me in those years.”

“Bad was it?”

“Big time. Puberty did not like me. I had pimples everywhere. And I mean, _everywhere._ ” She indicated her entire body with one hand. “Nightmare.”

“I’d say you got out of it alright.” Tali tried to say the compliment offhand, but it came out a little breathier than she’d wanted.

Eliza didn’t seem to notice the way she’d said it, a cocky grin on her face, “All cleared up by the time I joined the military. And now,” She shook her head, throwing her hair over her shoulder, “I’m beautiful.”

Both women went silent for a few moments before falling back with laughter. Their mirth soon died down, both staring at the ceiling. Tali turned her head to look at Eliza, her gaze instead ending up on the screen of the computer on the Human’s desk. There was several paragraphs of text, but she couldn’t read them from her current position. “Were you actually writing a letter when I came in?”

Eliza followed Tali’s gaze, realising what she’d left open. She sprung to her feet, quickly closing it and locking the console. “Yes.”

“What about?” Tali was simply curious.

Eliza didn’t particularly want to get into a debate about whether or not she should take the fall for stealing the Normandy, “Not important.” She hung her head, instantly knowing that her tone of voice was not convincing in the slightest.

“Eliza.” Tali’s voice made her turn around and face her, “What was the letter about?”

“It’s to the Citadel Council and Alliance command.” Eliza hoped that would be enough to assuage Tali’s curiosity, but the Quarian remained staring at her, not giving her the out she wanted her to. Eliza sighed, “I’m going to send it once we get to Ilos. It will shift all of the blame, and therefore punishment, to me. For stealing the Normandy.”

Tali was stunned for a few moments. “You’re taking all of the blame?”

Eliza nodded, “Better me than the entire crew.” She pursed her lips, trying to explain her reasoning, “I’m the only one onboard the Normandy who can take the blame and make it believable. No one else is a Spectre or high-ranking enough to have forced or coerced anyone else into this mess. Whereas me, I’m both. I even put I convinced Captain Anderson to go along with it. I owe too much to him to let him take the fall for this.”

“Why? Why take all the blame?”

“I have to. I can’t let anyone else be responsible for Saren. Not after…” Eliza drew in a shaky breath, “Not after _I_ let him get away.”

“You didn’t-”

Eliza interrupted, “Didn’t I? I had him right in front of me Tali! I could’ve, _should have_ , killed him. Right then and there.” Her voice became more frantic with every word, “Instead, he gets away, Kaidan dies and now there’s a very strong possibility that Sovereign will succeed, AND IT’S ALL MY FAULT!” Eliza’s scream echoed in the room several times, the Human shaking where she stood before half-collapsing-half-sitting down on the edge of the bed. Her next words came out as a whisper, “It’s all my fault.”

Tali sat down next to Eliza, unsure of what to do. She placed her hand on the Human’s back, rubbing in small circles. “And what if it is?” Eliza turned her gaze to Tali’s, confusion etched into it, “What if it is your fault? You can’t just give up because of that.”

“I’m not giving up!”

“Really? Because it sounds like you are.”

“I…” It did sound like she was giving up; Eliza couldn’t deny that. She sighed, “You’re right… I’m going to see this through to the end… and I’ll hold off on sending that letter.”

Tali smiled, just visible through her visor, “Taking all the blame won’t help anyone Eliza. We all willingly followed you, and I’m pretty sure we’re all well aware of the consequences. And besides, it’s not fun without a little bit of danger at the end.”

“Treason is a ‘little bit of danger’? I’d hate to see what you consider a lot of danger then.”

Tali laughed, “That’s what the mission is for. Well, that and your tactics.”

Eliza’s mouth fell open in mock-shock, “How dare you! I’m a perfect tactician!”

“And remind me how many times you’ve been shot, oh great Commander Shepard?”

Eliza spluttered out, “Oh pfft, what about you, Tali’Zorah nar Rayya? How many times have you been shot?”

“Once. By a Polonium bullet from Saren’s assassins.”

Tali’s smug smile only caused Eliza to start laughing, the Quarian soon joining in. “You’ve got me there I suppose.” Eliza laid back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Tali laid next to her, careful to keep a bit of distance between them. The Human turned her head, smiling at the Quarian, “I guess all we can do now is wait.”

“I guess so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied. Ilos next chapter.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
